jfst*^"**^' 


/$&*+** 


*  .  ^   '. 


^P        ^-^ 

labrusca  .  t 
LrtK,of  Pertdleion 


TREATISE  ON  THE  VINE; 


EMBRACING  ITS 


HISTORY  FROM  THE  EARLIEST  AGES  TO  THE  PRESENT  DAY, 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  ABOVE  TWO  HUNDRED  FOREIGN,  AND 
EIGHTY  AMERICAN  VARIETIES; 

TOGETHER  WITH  A 

COMPLETE    DISSERTATION 


ESTABLISHMENT,  CULTURE,  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  VINEYARDS. 


"  The  Vine  too,  here  her  curling  tendrils  shoots, 
Hangs  out  her  clusters  glowing  to  the  south, 
And  scarcely  wishes  for  a  warmer  sky." 


BY   WILLIAM   ROBERT   PRINCE, 

AIDED  BY 

WILLIAM   PRINCE, 

PROPRIETOR  OF  THE    LINNJEAN  BOTANIC  GARDEN, 

Vice-President  of  the  New- York  Horticultural  Society  ;  Member  of  the  Linnaean  Society 

of  Paris  ;  of  the  Horticultural  Societies  of  London  and  Paris  ;  of  the  Imperial  Society  of 

the  Georgofili  at  Florence  ;  Honorary  Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society, 

etc.  etc. 


NEW- YORK : 

PUBLISHED  BY  T.  &  J.  SWORDS,  G.  &  C.  &  H.  CARVILL,  E.  BLISS,  COLLINS  &  CO. 

G.  THORBURN  &  SONS,  NEW- YORK;  JUDAH  DOBSON,  PHILADELPHIA; 

J.  B.  RUSSELL,  BOSTON;  GIDEON  B.  SMITH,  BALTIMORE; 

JAMES  WINSTON,  RICHMOND ;  AND  JOSEPH 

SIMMONS,  CHARLESTON,  S.C. 

1830. 


•    . 


Southern  District  of  JVeta-  York,  ss. 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  That  on  the  twentieth  day  of  September,  A.D.  1830,  in  the  fifty-fifth 
year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  William  Robert  Prince,  of  the 
said  District,  hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  author 
and  proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit: 

"  A  Treatise  on  the  Vine ;  embracing  its  history  from  the  earliest  ages  to  the  present  day, 
with  descriptions  of  above  two  hundred  foreign,  and  eighty  American  varieties;  together  with 
a  complete  dissertation  on  the  establishment,  culture,  and  management  of  vineyards. 
"  The  Vine  too,  here  her  curling  tendrils  shoots, 
Hangs  out  her  clusters  glowing  to  the  south, 
And  scarcely  wishes  for  a  warmer  sky." 

By  William  Robert  Prince,  aided  by  William  Piince,  proprietor  of  the  Linna:an  Botanic  Garden, 
Vice-President  of  the  New-York  Hoilicultural  Society;  Member  of  the  Linnsean  Socioty  of 
Paris ;  of  the  Horticultural  Societies  of  London  and  Paris  ;  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  the 
Georgofili  at  Florence ;  Honorary  Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society,  etc.  etc." 
In  conformity  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled  "  an  act  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors 
of  such  copies,  during  the  time  therein  mentioned."  And  also  to  an  act,  entitled  "  An  act,  sup- 
plementary to  an  act,  entitled  an  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies 
of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the  times 
therein  mentioned,  and  extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and 
etching  historical  and  other  prints." 

FREDERICK  J,  BETTS, 
Clerk  of  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


J.  SEYMOUR,  PRINTER,  JOHN-STREET. 
If' 


To  HENRY    CLAY, 
OF  KENTUCKY: 

SIR, 

IT  is  with  sentiments  of  gratification  and  pride, 
that  I  inscribe  this  work  to  one,  ,who  through  life 
has  been  the  undeviating  patron  of  American  in- 
dustry; whose  name  is  interwoven  with  the  various 
objects  connected  with  the  development  of  our  Na- 
tional resources ;  and  whose  unwearied  efforts  have 
been  devoted  to  imparting  that  impulse  to  our 
domestic  pursuits,  which  is  best  calculated  to  ad- 
vance the  high  destinies  of  our  Republic.  The 
knowledge  of  these  interesting  facts  carry  the  con- 
viction with  them  of  the  peculiar  appropriateness 
of  the  present  Dedication.  But,  sir,  the  additional 
circumstance,  that  you,  more  than  thirty  years  ago, 
united  with  many  of  our  fellow  citizens  in  forming 
an  association  for  promoting  the  cultivation  of  the 
Vine  in  our  country,  renders  this  act  still  more 
apposite  and  forcible  in  its  application. 

With  an  ardent  desire  that  your  course  may  be 
crowned  with  the  most  auspicious  results, 

I  am, 

With  the  highest  respect  and  esteem, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  ROBERT  PRINCE. 


PREFACE. 


THE  formation  of  a  code  of  rules  for  any  partictfar  species  of  culture,  is  an 
undertaking  arduous  in  itself,  and  at  the  same  time  attended  with  great  re- 
sponsibility. The  author  in  the  present  case  is  sensible  of  the  peculiar  delicacy 
of  the  task,  and  whilst  he  is  desirous  of  devoting  his  unwearied  exertions,  to- 
gether with  any  degree  of  ability  he  may  possess,  towards  perfecting  the  object 
in  view,  he  must  at  the  same  time  crave  from  his  fellow-citizens,  the  extension 
of  their  kind  indulgence  towards  its  imperfections,  premising  that  any  errors 
into  which  he  may  have  been  inadvertently  led,  will  cheerfully  be  «orrected 
when  apprised  of  their  existence.  In  the  present  case  it  is  far  from  the  preten- 
sions of  the  author  to  claim  or  aspire  to  entire  originality.  A  species  of  culture 
recorded  from  the  time  of  Noah,  and  which  has  been  extending  in  Europe,  from 
the  period  of  the  birth  of  our  Saviour  to  the  present  day,  and  withal  one  of  the 
most  interesting  character,  could  not  fail  to  have  received  the  aid  of  the  bright- 
est talents  of  every  age  towards  its  advancement  and  development. 

It  is  with  the  various  species  of  culture  long  known  to  the  world,  as  it  is 
with  political  knowledge;  our  Government  and  National  policy  derive  their 
perfection  from  a  consideration  of  the  experiments  made  by  the  nations  which 
have  preceded  us.  Our  country  in  like  manner  borrows  from  every  other 
nation  the  lessons  of  experience  they  present,  and  profits  by  the  intelligence 
of  her  citizens,  in  seeking  to  enforce  and  improve  upon  what  others  have 
acquired. 

Of  similar  character  must  be  the  introduction  of  the  vine  culture,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  wine  press.  We  must  collect  from  the  four  corners  of  the 
earth  all  that  combined  intelligence  and  experience  can  offer,  and  then  mark 
out  the  course  most  profitable  for  us  to  adopt, — adding  thereto  such  im- 
provements as  our  own  knowledge  would  indicate.  In  accordance  with  this 
view  of  the  subject,  it  is  the  anxious  purpose  of  the  author  that  this  work 
should  present  the  concentrated  intelligence  of  every  clime  derived  from  all  the 
experience  of  the  past. 

The  vineyards  of  Europe  are  composed  solely  of  the  varieties  of  a  single 
species  of  the  vine,  and  thataforeign  one  transplanted  to  her  soil.  In  our  country 
numerous  species  and  varieties  are  every  where  met  with,  springing  up  sponta- 
neously in  our  woods  and  prairies,  nature's  own  gifts  unaided  by  culture  or  by  toil. 
Hence  we  possess  not  only  all  the  advantages  that  France  and  the  other  wine 
countries  enjoy,  from  our  having  already  introduced  the  choicest  varieties  which 
those  climes  can  boast,  but  this  advantage  is  enhanced  by  the  numerous  varie- 
ties which  our  own  country  presents  to  us.  And  in  a  comparison  of  our  natural 
situation  with  Persia  and  other  countries  of  the  east,  as  regards  the  number  of 


VI  PREFACE. 

species,  we  enjoy,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  advantages  tenfold  those  which  were 
originally  possessed  by  them,  as  they  commenced  the  vine  culture  with  a  single 
species  alone. 

In  Europe  the  culture  of  the  vine  has  been  profitably  extended  to  the  51°  of 
N.  lat.  and  in  some  cases  to  the  52°.  Allowing  the  present  difference  in  climate 
or  temperature  to  be  10°  between  similar  latitudes  of  that  continent  and  our 
own,  it  thence  follows  that  vines  of  the  foreign  varieties  may  be  advantageously 
cultivated  to  the  42°  in  our  own  country,  and  perhaps  the  intensity  of  our  sum- 
mer heat  may  extend  the  limit  somewhat  further  to  the  north.  But  taking  this 
as  the  extreme  limit  where  profitable  crops  can  be  obtained  for  the  purpose 
of  making  wine,  still  their  culture  can  be  extended  much  farther  for  the  purpose 
of  table  fruit,  and  as  an  article  of  luxury.  But  an  obvious  course  immediately 
presents  itself  for  extending  vineyards  profitably  as  far  north  as  they  are  in 
Europe.  This  is  the  use  of  our  native  varieties  of  the  hardier  description,  some 
of  which  being  found  growing,  naturally  as  far  north  as  Lower  Canada,  do  not 
fail  to  succeed  even  in  that  country.  Thus  it  appears  that  although  there  exists 
a  present  difference  of  about  10°  between  the  temperature  of  our  country  and 
that  of  Europe,  the  hand  of  nature  has  implanted  our  soil  with  vegetable  pro- 
ductions of  a  hardier  character,  capable  of  supporting  the  severities  of  climate 
in  a  degree  fully  proportionate  to  the  variation  referred  to.  And  I  may  also 
here  mention  the  peculiar  property  most  of  our  native  vines,  and  particularly 
the  northern  species,  possess,  of  flowering  at  a  much  earlier  period  than  foreign 
vines,  which  is  of  itself  equivalent  to  an  increase  in  the  length  of  the  season. 

But  even  the  difference  of  climates  referred  to,  together  with  our  occasional 
late  spring  frosts  and  variableness  of  the  atmosphere,  will,  it  is  anticipated,  be 
greatly  diminished,  and  gradually  subside  as  a  more  general  culture  of  the  soil 
takes  place ;  when  the  forests  are  removed  so  as  to  lay  bare  the  earth  to  the 
regular  influence  of  solar  heat,  and  the  collections  of  stagnant  water  become 
dried  up,  an  advance  towards  which  point  has  been  already  realized  in  some  of 
the  best  cultivated  parts  of  our  country. 

The  ancient  descriptions  of  the  German  territory,  and  of  France  to  the  north 
of  the  Cevennes,  confirm  our  belief  that  the  climates  of  those  countries  were 
formerly  of  a  character  similar  to  our  own,  and  that  they  have  varied  from  the  cir- 
cumstances attendant  on  general  cultivation.  Diodorus  Siculus  tells  us  that 
the  large  rivers  of  the  Roman  provinces,  the  Rhine  and  the  Danube,  were  fre- 
quently frozen  for  their  whole  depth,  and  thereby  rendered  capable  of  support- 
ing enormous  burthens,  in  so  much  that  the  Barbarian  hordes  preferred  that 
season  for  their  invasions. 

By  the  preceding  remarks  it  will  be  perceived,  that  the  culture  of  the  vine 
may  be  made  profitable  even  to  the  remotest  northern  and  eastern  sections  of 
the  union,  and  my  own  opinion  is,  that  by  the  course  recommended,  it  can  be 
extended  farther  to  the  north  than  it  has  been  in  Europe. 

The  pursuit  itself  is  one  both  ennobling  and  inspiring,  and  is  calculated  to 
elicit  the  best  propensities  of  the  human  heart,  and  as  will  be  shown,  it  is  one 
which  kings  and  potentates  have  not  failed  to  honour  with  their  personal  atten- 
tion. On  the  other  hand,  it  is  indispensably  necessary  for  us  to  adopt  it,  if  we 
expect  ever  to  taste  wines  equal  to  the  more  luscious  ones  of  France,  as  those 


PREFACE,  Vll 

claiming  that  character  arc  not  susceptible  of  transportation  by  sea  without 
being  adulterated. 

It  will  also  be  the  purpose  of  the  present  work  to  show  that  the  Vine  culture 
is  in  no  wise  difficult,  that  any  failures  which  have  taken  place  were  far  more 
the  result  of  erroneous  management  than  of  any  incapacity  of  the  soil,  and 
that  the  numerous  difficulties  which  have  been  thrilled  in  our  ears  for  the  thou- 
sandth time,  exist  only  in  the  brains  of  those  who  have  propagated  them.  In 
fact,  any  person  of  the  least  information,  after  being  taught  the  management  of 
a  single  vine,  may  without  difficulty  proceed  in  a  similar  course  with  a  whole 
vineyard.  It  is  in  fact  a  species  of  culture  where  one  head  will  serve  to  direct 
a  great  number,  and  in  which  after  once  instructed,  no  after  difficulties  need 
arise,  and  this  consideration  is  one  of  particular  moment,  when  we  take  into 
view  its  peculiar  applicability  to  the  situation  of  the  labouring  population  in  the 
southern  states. 

Another  prominent  advantage  which  this  culture  presents,  is  that  it  turns  to 
account  soils  and  situations  unsuitable  for  other  objects,  for  Young  relates  in  his 
travels  through  France  that  he  found  every  variety  of  soil,  from  a  heavy  clay  to 
a  light  blowing  sand,  and  all  exposures  whatever,  and  every  situation  from  a 
perfect  level  to  the  steepest  hills,  to  afford  profitable  crops  of  grapes ;  for  where 
their  quality  is  not  suitable  for  the  finer  wines,  they  are  made  use  of  for  distilla- 
tion into  brandies.  Indeed,  it  is  a  fact  so  noted,  that  the  very  finest  wines  are 
produced  on  the  declivities  and  the  poorest  soils,  that  a  ditty  oft  sung  by  con- 
noisseurs contains  the  following  stanza :  " 

"Toujours  le  bon  vin  croit  surlcs  montagnes, 

Dans  les  rochers,  et  sur  les  coteaux  ; 
Celui  qui  croit  dans  les  rases  campagnes, 
Ne  vaut  rien,  &  cause  des  eaux." 

In  France  alone  the  vine  culture  gives  employment  to  two  millions  of  labour- 
ers, without  enumerating  many  subordinate  mechanical  branches  that  are  bene- 
fitted  by  it;  and  it  is  attended  with  immense  national  advantages,  which  it  forms 
apart  of  the  purpose  of  the  present  work  to  fully  discuss  and  explain. 

Agriculture  is  the  great  basis  and  the  source  of  national  prosperity,  as  gene- 
rally conceded.  This  fountain  of  our  wealth  is  however  sometimes  oppressed 
to  such  a  degree  as  to  make  those  engaged  in  it  cry  aloud  for  encouragement, 
and  assert  that  their  claims  are  frequently  neglected  or  inefficiently  supported. 
These  circumstances  appear  plainly  to  present  an  appeal  to  our  consideration, 
and  to  call  upon  our  national  government  to  pursue  the  course  long  since  adopted 
by  France  ;  that  of  favouring  and  encouraging  the  introduction  and  culture  of 
every  foreign  product  which  our  climate  is  capable  of  maturing  and  perfect- 
ing, and  calculated  to  develope  our  internal  riches,  by  bringing  into  useful  action 
those  vast  domestic  resources  which  have  too  long  lain  dormant  in  the  bosom  01 
our  soil ;  a  proper  attention  to  which  would  place  us  in  an  attitude  of  independ- 
ence of  foreign  supply. 

A  great  advantage  resulting  from  such  course  is  this ;  that  where  a  particular 
branch  of  agriculture  languishes  or  is  depressed,  by  the  produce  becoming  dimi- 
nished in  price  from  a  superabundance  of  supply,  a  new  channel  for  national 
industry  will  not  only  afford  profit  to  those  actually  engaged  in  it,  but  by  with- 
drawing a  portion  of  the  population  from  other  objects  of  pursuit,  tends  to  secure 


V1H  PREFACE. 

an  appropriate  division  of  labour,  and  thereby  to  cause  other  products  to  realize 
a  fair  valuation.  It  is  not  by  turning  its  whole  attention  to  one  point,  that  a 
nation  advances  its  resources,  but  by  seeking  to  develope  the  natural  riches  of 
every  description  which  her  soil  and  climate  are  susceptible  of  furnishing ;  thence 
realizing,  first,  the  necessary  supplies  for  her  own  population,  by  which  she  se- 
cures to  herself  a  sure  and  regular  market  for  her  products  to  a  certain  extent, 
and  secondly,  a  surplus  sufficient  for  foreign  export. 

Another  great  benefit  which  will  result  from  an  assiduous  improvement  of  our 
national  resources,  is  that  it  must  permanently  secure  to  us  the  balance  of  trade  ; 
the  prompt  tendency  of  which  will  be  to  produce  a  return  of  all  our  public  stocks 
now  held  in  Europe,  the  interest  on  -which  is  annually  draining  from  ias  an  enor- 
mous taxation  on  our  labour. 

It  is  a  subject  of  gratulation  that  the  public  attention  seems  so  fully  drawn  to 
the  culture  of  the  grape.  It  was  not  until  after  immense  difficulties  that  the 
vine  was  brought  to  its  present  state  of  successful  culture  in  France ;  and  it 
should  be  no  cause  for  discouragement,  if  some  experiments  are  made  in  this 
country  without  the  anticipated  success.  In  fact,  so  many  causes  exist  by  which 
an  error  in  judgment,  or  the  want  of  the  necessary  information,  may  produce  a 
failure,  that  it  would  be  a  miracle  if  all  were  to  succeed.  Already,  for  years, 
has  the  vine  been  most  successfully  cultivated  on  the  Rhine  ;  and  in  latitude  50 
degrees,  the  most  choice  Rhenish  wines  are  made.  Recent  accounts  tell  us  of 
vineyards  having  been  established  in  the  more  northern  parts  of  Germany,  and 
in  high  latitudes  in  Russia  ;  and  the  Swiss  have  been,  for  a  course  of  years,  most 
plentifully  supplied  with  wine  from  their  own  soil.  Shall  then  America  alone 
be  debarred  from  this,  one  of  the  bountiful  gifts  of  nature  ?  Shall  a  country, 
possessing  every  variety  of  climate  which  is  combined  in  all  the  wine  countries 
of  Europe,  and  extending  through  all  the  degrees  of  latitude  which  are  there 
deemed  the  most  genial  to  its  growth  and  produce,  be  said  to  be  totally  inap- 
propriate to  its  success  ?  Shall  it  be  said  that  a  plant,  which  culture  has  accom- 
modated to  almost  every  other  clime  to  which  it  has  been  introduced,  can  find  no 
spot  whereon  to  flourish,  in  a  country  extending  from  the  25th  to  the  47th  degree 
of  latitude  ;  and  that  we  can  boast  no  such  congenial  soil  in  an  empire,  whose 
bounds  are  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  whose  settlements 
already  extend  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  sources  of  the  Missouri  ? 
It  is  high  time  such  delusions  of  blinded  theorists  should  give  way  to  the  lights 
of  reason  and  of  judgment,  and  that  the  culture  of  the  vine,  to  every  variety  of 
which  we  have  a  soil  and  climate  suitable  to  offer,  should  assume  that  importance 
to  which  it  has  already  attained  in  countries  possessing  comparatively  few  ad- 
vantages. Let,  then,  the  beams  of  intelligence,  which  are  imparting  so  much 
benefit  to  mankind  by  their  wide  diffusion,  disperse  these  clouds  of  ignorance  aod 
error  from  the  enlightened  horticulturists  of  the  American  republic. 


HISTORY  OP  THE  VINE,  &c, 


GRAPE  VINE— VITIS. 

CLASS,  PENTANDRIA— ORDER,  MONOOYNIA. 
NATURAL  ORDER — Vites. 


THE  Vine  derives  its  generic  name  from  the  Latin  word, 
vincire,  to  bind,  than  which  no  other  can  be  more  appropriate. 

The  appellation,  "  The  Vine"  as  used  by  different  authors, 
invariably  refers  to  the  varieties  of  one  species,  the  Vitis  vinifera 
of  botanists. 

The  Grape  Vine  is  universally  known  to  be  a  trailing, 
deciduous  shrub,  with  a  twisted  irregular  stem,  flexible  branches, 
decumbent,  or  supporting  themselves  when  near  other  trees  by 
means  of  its  tendrils ;  the  bark  is  of  a  light  or  dark  brown  colour, 
separating  in  strips  from  the  stalk  and  renewing  itself  annually; 
the  leaves  generally  large,  but  vary  in  form  and  appearance, 
being  entire,  serrated,  more  or  less  lobed,  downy  or  smooth, 
of  a  lighter  or  darker  shade  of  green,  or  with  a  reddish  tinge 
during  summer,  but  varying  at  maturity  in  autumn;  those 
varieties  of  which  the  predominating  colour  is  red,  almost  in- 
variably changing  to,  or  are  tinged  with  some  shade  of  that 
colour,  and  those  which  produce  white,  green,  or  yellow  grapes, 
changing  to  a  yellow  colour  without  being  tinged  with  purple, 
red,  or  scarlet.  The  breadth  of  the  leaves  varies  from  five  to 
ten  inches,  and  the  length  of  the  petiole  from  four  to  eight 


BOTANICAL  DEKCKIPTIOJS. 

inches  :  the  flowers  are  produced  on  the  shoots  of  the  same 
season,  which  shoots  generally  proceed  from  those  of  the  year 
preceding ;  they  are  of  a  greenish  colour  and  fragrant  odour, 
are  produced  in  the  form  of  a  raceme  and  expand  in  June. 
The  berries  are  of  a  variety  of  forms,  of  various  colours,  and 
differing  also  in  flavour,  which  is  poignant,  elevated,  and 
grateful. 

The  flowers  have  each  a  five-toothed  calyx,  and  five  almost 
colourless  petals,  which  are  caducous  ;  five  stamens,  and  a 
superior  ovarium  surmounted  by  a  stile  and  obtuse  stigma. 

Each  berry  should  contain  naturally  five  heart-shaped  seeds: 
but  many  varieties,  originating  from  culture,  have  but  three, 
others  but  two,  and  sometimes  one,  and  there  are  others  which 
have  none. 

The  tendrils  are  opposite  to  the  leaves,  and  may  be  con- 
sidered as  abortive  clusters,  and  can  be  made  to  produce  fruit 
by  destroying  the  real  clusters  when  they  first  show  themselves, 
breaking  off  at  the  same  time  the  extremity  of  the  shoot  on 
which  they  grow,  so  as  to  cause  the  sap  to  flow  into  them. 

The  eye,  or  bud,  is  surrounded  by  three  or  four  scaly 
coverings,  under  which,  especially  on  the  upper  part,  there  is 
an  adhesive  substance  of  a  white  or  red  colour,  which  protects 
it  from  the  effect  of  rains  and  winter  frosts.  The  fruit  in  its 
wild  state  is  black,  very  small,with  large  seeds,  and  without 
flavour. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Early  history  of  the  vine — its  origin  and  native  country— 
Early  use  of  wine  among  the  Romans. 

Various  historians  have  traced  the  culture  of  the  vine  to  the 
earliest  periods,  and  the  scriptures  bear  ample  testimony  of  the 
high  estimation  in  which  it  has  been  held  from  the  first  ages 
of  the  world. 

In  the  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis,  we  read  that  one  of  the  first 
acts  of  Noah,  after  being  saved  from  the  deluge,  was  to  plant  a 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE  VINE.  1 1 

vineyard.  "  And  Noah  began  to  be  an  husbandman  and  he 
planted  a  vineyard;"  thus  plainly  indicating  that  the  planting  a 
vineyard  was  even  at  that  early  day,  deemed  one  of  the  primary 
and  most  important  acts  of  him  who  tilled  the  earth.  It  is 
equally  certain  from  this  circumstance,  that  vineyards  must 
have  existed  and  been  objects  of  particular  attention  before  the 
deluge,  otherwise  Noah  could  not  have  possessed  the  knowledge, 
and  made  their  formation  one  of  the  first  acts  after  his  miracu^ 
lous  preservation,  and  restoration  to  the  pursuits  of  husbandry, 
it  being  one  of  the  principal  duties  of  Noah  to  communicate  to 
mankind  the  knowledge  possessed  before  the  flood. 

Among  the  blessings  held  out  to  the  Israelites  as  productions 
of  the  promised  land,  the  vine  is  particularly  mentioned,  "  a 
land  of  wheat  and  barley  and  vines;"  and  the  spies  which  were 
sent  into  the  land  of  Canaan  to  ascertain  its  riches,  on  their 
return  bore  a  cluster  of  grapes  on  a  girdle  between  them.  The 
vine  is  also  frequently  mentioned  by  the  ancient  patriarchs  and 
fathers,  as  a  type  or  emblem  by  which  to  represent  the  riches 
of  a  country,  or  the  flourishing  condition  of  a  nation,  tribe,  or 
family,  "  Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt"  &tc.  Psalm 
Ixxx. — "  Thy  wife  shall  be  as  the  fruitful  vine"  &LC.  Solo- 
mon also  speaks  of  its  power  to  gladden  the  heart,  and  to 
banish  sorrow ;  and  "  generous  wine"  has  been  for  ages 
deemed  a  fit  oblation  for  fallen  man  to  offer  to  the  Deity,  and 
to  mingle  in  the  sacred  offerings  of  his  homage. 

Even  among  the  heathen  nations  of  antiquity,  the  vine  was 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  and  veneration.  The  invention  of 
wine  was  ascribed  by  the  ancient  Egyptians  to  Osiris,  by  the 
Latins  to  Saturn,  and  the  Greeks  elevated  Bacchus  to  the 
rank  of  a  deity,  for  having  brought  the  vine  from  Arabia  Felix ; 
and  after  first  cultivating  it  himself,  he  transmitted  it  to  every 
country  which  submitted  to  his  conquests,  and  taught  its 
use  and  value  to  man.  He  is  represented  by  Pliny  to  have 
been  the  first  who  ever  wore  a  crown,  and  as  the  god  of  vin- 
tage and  of  wine,  his  crown  is  formed  of  the  vine ;  and  its 
twining  branches  bedecked  with  clusters  of  fruit,  is  still  selected 
as  an  emblem  to  indicate  hilarity  and  gladness.  Tvvpn  the; 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  VINE. 

crown  of  Juno  was  also  made  of  the  vine.  Plato,  one  of  the 
wisest  of  men,  and  who  so  particularly  restrains  the  use  of 
wine  within  reasonable  bounds,  and  so  severely  censures  its 
abuse  by  excess,  remarks,  "  that  nothing  more  excellent  or 
valuable  than  wine  was  ever  granted  by  God  to  man."  Among 
the  ancient  Romans,  wine  was  principally  used  for  sacred  pur- 
poses in  the  worship  of  their  gods,  to  which  object  it  had 
been  appropriated  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  East,  previous  to 
the  foundation  of  that  empire. 

To  show  still  further  that  the  ancients  were  well  aware  of 
its  abuse  as  well  as  of  its  worth,  although  we  find  Bacchus 
generally  represented  with  a  countenance  full  of  jollity,  yet 
he  is  often  depicted  as  an  old  man,  with  his  head  encircled  by 
the  vine,  to  teach  us  that  wine  taken  to  excess  will  induce 
enervation,  destroy  our  health  and  strength,  and  render  us 
weak,  loquacious,  and  childish,  like  old  men. 

In  the  earlier  ages  wine  was  used  without  dilution  ;  and  the 
Athenians  mention  Amphitryon  as  the  first  who  mingled  it 
with  water  ;  and  it  is  said  that  to  this  circumstance  we  owe  the 
origin  of  the  fable  of  Bacchus  having  been  struck  by  a  thun- 
derbolt, and  cast  thus  inflamed  into  the  bath  of  the  Nymphs 
to  be  extinguished. 

Origin  and  native  country  of  the  vine,  fyc. 

Not  only,  as  Chaptal  truly  remarks,  are  we  indebted  to 
Asia  for  civilization  and  the  arts,  but  also  for  the  most  of  the 
cultivated  grasses,  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  even  for  the  vine. 
By  some  authors  it  has  been  supposed  to  be  a  native  of  Syria, 
but  none  of  these  appear  to  have  possessed  any  proofs  on  the 
subject.  The  accounts  of  Andre  Michaux,  who  found  it  in 
the  woods  of  Manzanderan,  and  of  Olivier,  member  of  the 
French  Institute,  who  saw  it  in  many  parts  of  the  mountains 
of  Curdistan,  as  well  as  the  circumstance  that  the  most  part 
of  our  acclimated  fruits,  and  our  domestic  animals,  come  from 
upper  Asia,  banish  all  doubt  of  the  fact  that  Persia  is  its  na- 
tive country. 


EARLY  USE  OF  WINE  AMONG  THE  ROMANS.  13 

Pallas  also  found  the  vine  growing  naturally  upon  the  Cas- 
pian and  upon  the  Black  sea,  and  it  is  also  very  common  in 
the  Crimea. 

The  introduction  of  the  vine  to  those  countries  where  it  is 
now  cultivated  to  the  greatest  extent,  was  gradually  from  more 
eastern  climes,  whence  it  was  first  brought  to  the  southern  parts 
of  Europe.  In  the  time  of  Homer  it  grew  spontaneously  in 
the  island  of  Sicily,  and  probably  upon  adjacent  parts  of 
the  continent ;  but  it  was  not  improved  by  skill,  nor  does 
it  even  appear  that  the  rude  inhabitants  extracted  a  liquor 
from  it.  It  was  not  until  a  thousand  years  after  this  period 
that  Italy  could  boast,  that  of  the  fourscore  most  celebrated 
wines,  more  than  two-thirds  were  the  produce  of  her  own  soil. 

A  highly  interesting  and  curious  account  is  given  by  Dr. 
Sickler,  of  its  gradual  migration  to  Egypt,  Sicily,  and  Greece. 
The  Phoenicians,  who  had  widely  extended  their  commerce, 
and  who  frequently  explored  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean, 
introduced  the  culture  of  the  vine  into  the  isles  of  the  Archi- 
pelago, and  afterwards  into  the 'island  of  Sicily  and  into 
Greece ;  and  lastly,  to  Italy,  Provence,  and  the  territory  of 
Marseilles. 

Early  use  of  wines  among  the  Romans. 

During  the  first  period  of  the  Roman  empire  the  culture  ot 
the  vine  attracted  but  little  attention,  for  Romulus  forbade  the 
use  of  wines  in  the  libations  then  customary  in  the  sacrifices  of 
the  Asiatics,  and  restricted  them  to  milk  as  a  libation  on  the 
funeral  piles  of  the  dead.  Numa  maintained  this  custom, 
and  forbid  wine  at  funerals,  and  he  only  permitted  them  to 
make  use  of  such  wine  in  their  libations  to  the  gods  as  had 
been  made  from  vines  that  were  well  pruned,  as  Pliny  asserts, 
in  order  to  render  the  pruning  of  the  vine  an  object  of  ne- 
cessary care  to  those  who  cultivated  it. 

Wines  were  so  rare  and  expensive  in  Rome  during  the  early 
life  of  Lucullus,  that  but  a  single  draught  was  allowed  at  a 
repast,  however  sumptuous  the  feast  and  entertainment  might 
be  in  other  respects  :  and  Varro  tells  us  that  Lucullus  never 


14  EARLY  USE  OP  WINE  AMONG  THE  ROMANS. 

saw  at  his  father's  table  Greek  wines  served  up  but  once  at  each 
meal,  but,  that  on  his  return  from  Asia,  he  bestowed  oh  the 
people  as  a  largess,  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  gallons  of 
such  wine  ;  and  that  Hortensius  at  his  death  left  to  his  heir 
above  ten  thousand  barrels  filled  with  the  esteemed  wines  of 
Greece. 

Pliny  mentions  having  drank  wines  that  had  been  made  dur- 
ing the  consulship  of  Opimius,  which  was  about  two  hundred 
years  before.  He  also  concludes  that  the  vine  was  very  rare 
in  Italy  in  the  reign  of  Numa,  and  adds,  that  wines  did  not 
come  into  much  repute  until  six  hundred  years  after  the  foun- 
dation of  Rome. 

Varro  states  a  fact  which  shows  the  high  value  then  set  on 
wines,  that  Mezentius,  king  of  Tuscany,  aided  the  Rutilans 
of  Ardea  in  their  wars  against  the  Latins,  for  no  other  hire 
but  the  wine  and  the  vines  which  were  in  the  territories  of  the 
Latins.     It  was  to  Ruma  that  Italy  was  first  indebted  for  the 
abolishment  of  the  interdiction  promulgated  by  Romulus,  and 
Pliny  remarks,  that  politicians  made  use  of  the  circumstance 
of  this  privilege   being  granted  for  its  free  use  in  religious 
sacrifices,  as  a  means  to  promote  and  encourage  its  extensive 
culture,  and  the  result  seems  to  have  fully  responded  to  these 
exertions,  for  vineyards  soon  after  became  so  numerous,  and 
their  produce  so  abundant,   that  wine   not  only  came   into 
general  use,  but  the  use  of  it  was  often  carried  to  excess,  and 
even  the  Roman  fair  are  said  to  have  partaken  too  freely  of 
the  enjoyment.     This  excess  caused  the  enactment  of  the  law 
against  its  use  by  women  in  any  case  whatever,  under  penalty 
of  death,  and  by  men  until  they  had  attained  the  age  of  thirty 
years.     Fabius  Pictor  tells  us  of  a  Roman  lady  who  was 
starved  by  her  relations  because  she  had  opened  a  cupboard 
which  contained  the  keys  of  the  wine  cellar ;  and  Macennius 
killed  his  wife  with  a  cudgel  on  account  of  having  caught  her 
drinking  wine  out  of  a  tun,  and  being  tried  for  it,  was  ac- 
quitted of  murder.    Cato  mentions,  that  the  custom  among  re- 
lations of  kissing  women  when  they  met,  was  to  ascertain  by 
their  breath  if  they  had  been  drinking  wine.     But  this  cus- 


ANOIEN?  VINBYARfcS.  15 


torn  is  said  also  to  have  had  its  inconveniences  from  the  eager- 
ness which  some  evinced  in  offering  and  others  in  receiving 
the  proof  of  that  abstinence. 

But  the  law  that  has  been  referred  to  could  not,  from  its  too 
great  severity,  be  effective  or  of  long  continuance,  in  regard 
to  the  use  of  an  article  which  had  become  so  common  and 
abundant  ;  and  it  was  consequently  soon  altered  so  as  to  fix 
the  age  of  thirty  years  as  the  period  after  which  it  might  be 
drank  by  all,  and  finally  they  were  compelled  to  alter  it  again, 
and  allow  an  entire  freedom  in  its  use. 

The  same  abuse  of  wine  caused  a  similar  law  in  the  Mar- 
seilloise  republic  ;  but  there,  as  among  the  Romans,  its  extreme 
severity  was  an  obstacle  to  its  application,  and  it  was  in  like 
manner  annulled.  * 


CHAPTER  II. 
Ancient  Vineyards. 

It  would  be  a  task  both  pleasing  and  interesting,  to  form  a 
chronological  table  of  the  formation  of  the  principal  French, 
Spanish,  German,  and  other  vineyards;  but  the  various  histories^ 
of  national  agriculture  furnish  us  with  no  doicuments  suffi- 
ciently precise  on  that  subject,  and  whatever  may  be  said  of  it, 
we  have  not  a  complete  one  from  Pliny  of  those  of  early  date  : 
the  only  course,  therefore,  by  which  we  may  attain  to  correct 
conclusions,  is  to  examine  with  care  the  books  and  manuscripts 
which  exist  on  the  subject,  and  to  draw  from  each  its  quota  of 
knowledge,  and  to  condense  them  as  far  as  possible  under  one 
head.  It  may  however  be  deemed  worthy  of  remark,  that  at 
the  second  epoch  of  the  planting  of  vineyards  in  France, 
present  circumstances  fully  prove,  that  the  propagation  of 
the  vine  extended  itself  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Marseilles, 
in  the  direction  from  the  meridian  sun.  The  culture  afterwards 
advanced  in  two  directions,  almost  diametrically  opposed,  to 
the  north  and  south-west ;  the  first  penetrated  Dauphiny,  by 


ANCIENT  VINEYARDS, 

the  numerous  hills  of  the  Rhone,  the  shores  of  the  Saone,  and 
all  that  famous  coast  formed  of  small  mountains,  which  traverse 
Burgundy,  from  the  meridian  to  the  north,  thence  extending 
by  the  country  of  the  Sequanois,  (Franche  Comte,  or  Jura,) 
upon  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine,  on  the  hills  of  theMarne,  of  the 
Moselle,  and  of  those  which  border  on  the  Sielle.  The  second 
branch  directed  itself  towards  Languedoc,  Gascony,  and  Gui- 
enne.  It  is  probable  that  from  these  two  principal  branches, 
ramifications  may  have  extended  to  the  interior,  according  to 
the  relative  situations  of  the  different  provinces,  and  to  the 
connections  which  existed  between  the  inhabitants.  There  is 
no  doubt,  also,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  contiguous  districts, 
procured  their  vines,  and  a  knowledge  of  their  culture  from  the 
vignerons  of  Guienne,  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  Auvergne, 
Bourbonnois,  Nivernois,  and  Berri,  received  theirs  from  the 
people  of  Lyons,  and  transmitted  them  in  like  manner  to  those 
of  Tours,  Anjou,  and  their  environs.  The  inhabitants  of 
Gatinois,  Orleans,  and  the  Isle  of  France,  received  theirs  from 
the  vineyards  which  formed  the  ancient  boundaries  of  Burgundy 
and  Champagne.  The  vine  was  planted  and  its  culture  com- 
municated with  an  inconceivable  rapidity,  when  contrasted 
with  the  difficulty  which  exists  at  the  present  day,  in  causing 
the  best  precepts  and  the  best  modes  of  culture  to  be  adopted, 
It  is  true,  that  in  reverting  to  former  periods,  we  perceive  that 
the  proprietors  of  extensive  domains  did  not  disdain  to  devote 
themselves  personally  to  rural  pursuits,  and  that  sovereigns 
themselves  were  not  strangers  to  agricultural  employments. 
The  first  dukes  of  Burgundy  established  vineyards  on  their 
own  account ;  and  we  learn  from  their  Ancient  ordinances,  how 
much  they  prided  themselves  on  the  possession  of  the  finest 
wine  country  in  Christendom,  and  the  duke  of  Burgundy  was 
often  designated  by  the  title  of  "  prince  of  good  wines."  Nei- 
ther were  the  kings  of  France  unmindful  of  the  advantage  of 
extending  the  culture  of  the  vine  in  their  dominions.  The 
edicts  of  Charlemagne  furnish  proof  that  vineyards  were  at- 
tached to  each  of  his  palaces,  with  a  press  and  every  instru- 
ment necessary  in  the  making  of  wine  ;  the  sovereign  himself 


ANCIENT  VINEYARDS,  17 

engaging  in  the  principal  management  with  his  vignerons.  The 
palace  of  the  Louvre,  as  well  as  the  other  royal  residences,  has 
had  a  collection  of  vines  attached  to  it  since  early  in  the  twelfth 
century,  and  in  the  year  1160,  Louis  the  younger  assigned 
annually  from  its  produce  six  hogsheads  of  wine  to  the  cure 
of  St.  Nicholas. 

Philip  Augustus,  in  the  year  1200,  possessed  numerous  vine- 
yards at  Bourges,  Soissons,  Orleans,  and  various  other  dis- 
tricts of  country,  and  the  royal  vineyard  of  Coucy,  formed  of 
vines  obtained  direct  from  Greece,  is  often  mentioned  in  history. 
In  fact,  so  numerous  did  the  variety  of  wines  become  about 
this  period,  that  among  the  fables  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
there  is  one  composed  in  the  reign  of  this  sovereign,  entitled 
the  "  Battle  of  the  Wines,"  in  which  are  enumerated  the  very 
great  number  of  French  wines  then  held  in  high  repute,  and 
those  who  feel  a  great  interest  on  this  point,  would  doubtless 
be  gratified  by  referring  to  it. 

Since  the  year  1200,  a  century  has  not  passed  away  without 
augmenting  the  number  of  districts  and  of  vineyards  worthy 
of  note,  and  adding  to  the  list  of  wines  which  merit  our 
approbation.  Others  have  in  like  manner  declined  and  lost 
the  esteem  they  once  possessed.  The  vineyard  of  Mantes, 
once  counted  among  the  most  distinguished,  has  long  since 
lost  its  reputation  from  inattention  to  maintaining  it. 

Deschamps  announces  that  even  in  his  time,  the  wines  of 
Burgundy  and  of  Champagne  were  rivals  in  renown.  The 
plantations  of  the  vine  in  the  environs  of  Paris,  existed  at  a 
very  remote  period,  as  the  emperor  Julien  lauded  the  wines 
they  yielded,  but  the  reputation  they  possessed  for  several 
centuries  no  longer  exists.  The  primary  cause  of  this  change 
is  attributed  to  the  vast  increase  of  the  population  of  Paris  for 
the  last  century.  The  great  number  of  artisans  and  workmen, 
who  centered  in  that  city,  in  consequence  of  the  wants  of  the 
opulent  inhabitants,  caused  the  hotels,  taverns,  and  pleasure 
gardens,  to  be  greatly  increased.  These  places  of  resort, 
being  constantly  filled  by  consumers,  in  no  wise  particular  in 
their  taste,  they  created  a  permanent  market,  and  constant 

3 


18  AKtJIENT  VINEYARIJS. 

demand  at  all  periods.  The  proprietors  of  vineyards,  being  thus 
assured  of  an  advantageous  sale  of  whatever  quantity  they  could 
make,  without  the  expense  of  sending  it  to  a  distant  market, 
decided  on  increasing  the  quantity  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  the 
quality.  The  ease  and  cheapness  with  which  they  could  enrich 
the  soil  of  their  vineyards,  by  procuring  manure  so  cheaply  in 
Paris,  powerfully  seconded  their  views.  It  was  only  neces- 
sary further  to  neglect  the  culture  of  those  vines  whose  pro- 
duce was  small,  and  to  increase  in  their  stead,  those  kinds, 
however  indifferent  in  quality,  that  yielded  great  crops,  to 
annihilate  the  celebrity  these  vineyards  had  before  acquired 
and  justly  merited. 

The  vineyards  of  Orleans  have  also  failed  of  possessing  at 
all  times  the  same  degree  of  favour.  The  decline  into  which 
they  have  fallen,  may  also  be  traced  to  the  immense  consump- 
tion, not  as  wine,  but  for  the  purpose  of  conversion  into  brandy 
and  vinegar.  Under  these  forms,  the  produce  of  the  Orleans 
vineyards  is  sought  after  by  various  nations  to  such  a  degree, 
that  doubtless  many  proprietors  deemed  it  of  little  interest  to 
strive  to  maintain  the  ancient  character  of  the  wines.  In 
1666,  the  king  of  France  presented  to  the  king  of  England., 
two  hundred  hogsheads  of  wine,  consisting  of  Champagne, 
Burgundy,  and  Hermitage,  they,  without  doubt,  being  deemed 
the  best  of  that  day. 

In  the  Memoirs  of  Tully,  we  find  the  history  of  the  wine  of 
Arbois,  and  some  amusing  anecdotes  that  rendered  them  cele- 
brated. 

I  will  only  further  notice  one  of  the  largest  and  most  cele- 
brated wine  districts  of  France,  namely  that  of  Bordeaux.  The 
major  part  of  the  wines  made  in  this  territory,  having  for 
centuries  continued  to  be  a  most  important  object  of  export, 
rather  than  of  home  consumption  ;  it  is  not  very  surprising 
that  our  writers,  as  these  wines  were  in  general  little  known, 
should  have  omitted  to  give  us  more  than  a  partial  account  of 
their  merits.  Ausone,  who  lived  in  the  fourth  century,  praised 
their  excellence  in  many  of  his  writings.  Mathieu  Paris,  also 
comments  upon  their  value  in  1.251  ;  and  it  is  proved  by  thf 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  ViiNE  INTO  CHANCE.  19 

registry  of  the  customhouse  of  Bordeaux,  that  in  the  year  1350, 
no  less  than  one  hundred  and  forty  one  vessels  left  that  port, 
laden  with  13,429  pipes  of  wine;  the  duties  of  which  were, 
5104  livres  of  their  currency.  Froissard  also  states,  that 
in  1372,  there  arrived  more  than  two  hundred  sail  of  vessels 
to  load  with  wine. 

I  shall  confine  myself  here  to  the  foregoing  remarks;  but  the 
vineyards  of  this  district  occupy  so  distinguished  and  impor- 
tant a  rank  among  the  finest  in  France,  and  are  objects  of  so 
much  interest  on  account  of  their  immense  export,  (a  point 
which  Americans  must  particularly  aim  at;)  that  I  shall  here- 
after enter  more  minutely  into  the  details,  and  describe  the 
principal  cms,  or  favourite  vineyards,  which  have  acquired  for 
it  so  much  celebrity. 


CHAPTER  111. 
Introduction  of  the  vine  into  France* 

The  vine  appears  to  have  been  introduced  into  France  at  a  * 
remote  period.  It  was  very  early  transmitted  to  the  Narbon- 
nese  province  of  Gaul,  but  the  cold  was  so  intense  to  the  north 
of  the  Cevennes,  that  in  the  time  of  Strabo  it  was  deemed  im- 
possible to  mature  the  grapes  in  those  parts  of  Gaul.  This 
was  doubtless  caused  by  two  circumstances  :  first,  the  climate 
had  not  then  become  ameliorated  to  the  degree  it  afterwards 
acquired  by  cultivation  ;  and  secondly,  the  vine  being  a  na- 
tive of  a  much  more  southern  region,  needed  that  acclimation 
by  culture  which  it  in  time  attained.  These  difficulties  were, 
however,  gradually  surmounted,  or  vanished  from  the  effect 
of  concurrent  circumstances.  It  was  also  brought  by  the  Phoe- 
nicians to  the  territory  of  Marseilles,  at  the  time  they  founded 
the  well  known  city  of  that  name,  where  it  was  multiplied  to 
such  a  degree,  that  many  vineyards  celebrated  for  their  pro- 
duce existed  in  the  republic  of  Marseilles,  and  in  the  province 


*  INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  VINE  INTO  FRANCE. 

of  Narbonne,  when  Julius  Caesar  conquered  the  Gauls ;  and 
there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  first  vineyards  of  Bur- 
gundy  existed  in  the  age  of  the  Antonines,  but  the  other  parts 
of  Gaul  and  Helvetia  (Switzerland)  were  totally  without  them 
at  that  time.  Indeed,  a  circumstance  is  related  in  history,  that 
about  this  period  a  Swiss  blacksmith  having  crossed  the  Alps 
into  Italy,  on  his  return  brought  back  some  grapes  and  some 
figs,  which  caused  the  whole  nation  to  determine  on  emigrat- 
ing to  so  desirable  a  country,  producing  such  delicious  fruits, 
and  that  they  departed,  after  setting  fire  to  their  towns  and  vil- 
lages, but  were  repulsed  in  their  attempt  to  pass  the  Alps  by 
Julius  Caesar ;  and  also  a  second  time  in  attempting  to  cross 
the  river  Saone,  and  go  round  the  Alps  by  Nice. 

Strabo  remarks,  that  the  vines  of  Languedoc  and  Provence 
produced  the  same  fruit  as  those  of  Italy,  which  was  doubtless 
the  case,  they  having  all  one  common  origin.  Whether  the 
success  was  greater  or  less  which  attended  the  vineyards  at 
antecedent  periods,  it  is  certain  that  about  the  year  eighty-five 
the  culture  of  the  vine  had  already  covered  many  of  the  hill 
sides  of  the  southern  and  middle  departments  of  France,  and 
was  gradually  extending  itself  to  the  rest  of  Gaul,  when  Do- 
mitian,  finding  there  was  a  great  scarcity  of  grain  in  the 
Roman  dominions,  attributed  it  to  the  vast  increase  of  vine- 
yards in  Italy  and  the  provinces,  which  he  considered  as  form- 
ing a  cause  that  rendered  agriculture  too  much  neglected,  and 
deeming  also  their  existence  to  so  great  an  extent  as  an  incite- 
ment to  sedition  from  the  encouragement  they  gave  to  intem- 
perance, he  issued  an  edict  prohibiting  the  planting  of  any 
new  vineyards  in  Italy,  and  ordering  the  whole  (some  histo- 
rians say  one  half)  of  those  in  the  provinces  to  be  destroyed. 
The  date  of  this  edict  is  said  by  some  to  be  the  year  85, 
and  by  others  92  of  the  Christian  era.  This  privation  lasted 
nearly  two  centuries,  during  which  no  vineyards  could  be 
planted  without  permission  of  the  emperor,  and  the  provincials 
did  not  receive  permission  to  replant  them  until  about  the 
year  280,  when  Probus,  after  numerous  victories,  which 
gave  peace  to  his  empire,  evinced  a  great  desire  to  encourage 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  VINE  I-VTO  FRANCE.  ^1 

agricultural  pursuits  in  all  the  provinces,  and  rescinded  the 
edict  of  Domitian.  The  renewal  of  this  privilege  appears  to 
have  been  received  with  great  satisfaction  ;  for  tradition  still 
retained  in  the  memory  of  the  Gauls  the  great  advantages 
that  species  of  culture  had  afforded  them,  and  the  vines  of 
Sicily,  Italy,  Greece,  the  Archipelago  and  Africa,  were  again 
transplanted  to  the  provinces  of  Gaul,  and  became  the  origin 
of  the  innumerable  varieties  which  now  cover  with  vineyards 
the  territories  of  France.  The  formation  of  these  new  plan- 
tations of  the  vine  are  said  to  have  presented  a  delightful  and 
inspiring  spectacle.  Crowds  of  persons  of  both  sexes  and  of 
all  ages  were  seen  spontaneously  and  enthusiastically  devoting 
themselves  to  an  occupation  in  which  all  could  take  part — to 
that  gratifying  restoration  of  liberty,  the  replanting  of  vine- 
yards. It  appears,  also,  to  have  been  about  this  period  (though 
some  authors  say  it  was  in  270)  that  the  vine  was  planted  in 
the  northern  parts  of  Gaul,  and  about  the  rivers  Rhine,  Mo^ 
selle,  and  Maine,  and  in  Hungary.  The  vineyards  of  France 
had  very  early  attained  to  celebrity,  wines  having  been  even 
exported  from  them  to  Italy  during  the  reign  of  Vespasian. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century,  Eumenius  mentions 
the  vines  of  the  territory  of  Autun,  which  had  become  de- 
cayed from  age,  and  the  first  plantation  of  which  was  entirely 
unknown  ;  and  M.  D'Anville  supposes  the  Pagus  Arebrignus 
to  be  the  district  of  Beaune,  celebrated  even  at  the  present  day 
for  some  of  the  finest  vineyards  of  Burgundy.  St.  Martin 
planted  vines  in  Touraine  before  the  end  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury ;  and  St.  Remi,  who  lived  about  the  end  of  the  fifth, 
left  in  his  will  to  different  churches  the  vineyards  which  he 
possessed  in  the  territories  of  Rheims  and  Laon,  with  the 
slaves  which  he  employed  to  cultivate  them.  The  export  ofl 
wines,  however,  from  Bordeaux  to  England,  did  not  commence 
until  about  the  year  1 1 72. 

*  I 


*  INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  VINE  INTO  BRITAIN. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Introduction  of  the  vine  into  Britain. 

There  appears  to  be  much  difference  among  authors  as  to 
the  precise  period  when  the  vine  was  first  introduced  into  Bri- 
tain. Some  conclude  it  must  have  been  as  early  as  the  tenth 
year  of  the  Christian  era,  as  at  that  period  a  great  part  of  the 
island  was  in  possession  of  the  Romans,  who  had  introduced 
the  luxuries  of  Italy  wherever  they  settled,  and  that  as  the 
culture  of  vineyards  formed  at  that  period  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant in  their  own  country,  they  could  scarcely  have  failed 
to  introduce  this  also  ;  and  from  the  circumstance  that  Augus- 
tus was  then  emperor,  in  whose  reign  it  was  common  to  send 
the  sons  of  the  British  nobles  to  Rome  to  be  educated,  it  is 
deemed  improbable  that  during  such  frequent  intercourse  the 
culture  of  the  vine  could  be  neglected.  On  the  other  hand, 
Pliny,  who  writes  so  fully  on  the  vine,  does  not  mention  its 
existing  in  Britain  ;  and  it  appears  from  Tacitus  that  it  did 
not  exist  there  in  the  time  of  Julius  Agricola.  We  also  read 
that  in  the  year  85,  Domitian,  as  has  been  already  stated,  pro- 
hibited by  an  edict  the  planting  of  any  new  vineyards  in  Italy, 
and  ordered  those  in  the  provinces  to  be  destroyed,  which 
edict  was  not  rescinded  until  the  reign  of  Probus,  about  the 
year  280,  at  which  period  the  Britons  are  particularly  men- 
tioned by  Vopiscus  among  the  provinces  which  partook  of 
the  privilege.  Whatever  difference  exists,  therefore,  about 
anterior  dates,  there  can  exist  no  doubt  as  regards  the  era 
last  named  ;  and  that,  at  all  events,  Britain  was  indebted  to 
the  Romans  for  its  introduction,  is  a  point  generally  conceded. 
Some  have  advocated  the  possibility  of  its  earlier  introduction 
by  the  Phoenicians,  who  are  said  to  have  planted  the  vine  in 
the  Mediterranean  isles,  as  well  as  in  several  other  parts  of 
Europe  and  Africa ;  and,  as  accounts  exist  of  their  having  traded 
to  Britain  for  tin,  it  has  been  conjectured  that  they  may  also 
have  planted  the  vine  on  the  shores  of  Britain.  As  this  sup- 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  VINE  INTO  BRITAIN.  g$ 

position,  however,  has  nothing  to  confirm  it,  it  is  only  inte- 
resting on  account  of  its  affording  additional  circumstances  to 
prove  that  the  vine  was  originally  brought  from  Asia. 

Vineyards  appear  to  be  first  mentioned  in  Domesday  book, 
which  states  that  one  at  Rageneia  in  Essex,  which  was  com- 
prised of  a  park  and  six  arpennies  of  land,  yielded  in  a  suc- 
cessful season  "twenty  modii  of  wine ;"  and  also  names 
another  at  Ware,  covering  a  similar  space,  which  had  but  re- 
cently been  planted.  Bede,  who  finished  his  history  in  731, 
mentions  the  existence  of  vineyards  in  several  parts  of  Bri- 
tain ;  and  the  first  vines  were  no  doubt  planted  in  the  southern 
parts  of  the  island  nearest  to  Gaul,  whence  they  were  doubt- 
less received,  as  vineyards  had  there  already  acquired  cele- 
brity ;  and  the  neighbourhood  of  Winchester  was  formerly  so 
noted  for  vines,  that  Twyne  supposes  the  city  to  have  taken 
its  name  from  that  circumstance. 

Ample  proof  can  be  deduced  of  the  existence  in  former 
periods  of  vineyards  at  Canterbury,  Rochester,  Hailing,  and 
in  Northamptonshire,  Cambridgeshire,  Gloucestershire,  Mid- 
dlesex, and  various  other  parts  of  Britain ;  the  isle  of 
Ely  was  denominated  by  the  Normans  the  "  isle  of  vines," 
and  the  bishop  of  Ely,  shortly  after  the  conquest,  received 
three  or  four  tuns  of  wine  annually  as  tithes  from  his  diocese. 
Some  vineyards  are  also  mentioned  as  having  existed  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  one  of  which  was  in  Sussex,  belonging 
to  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  from  the  produce  of  which  there 
were  in  his  cellar  in  1763,  above  sixty  pipes  of  excellent  Bur- 
gundy. 

In  regard  to  the  decline  of  British  vineyards,  her  historians 
have  left  us  much  in  the  dark ;  but  the  authors  of  that  country 
endeavour  to  account  for  it  by  stating,  that  as  their  intercourse 
increased  with  the  continent,  it  was  found  more  advantageous 
to  import  wine  than  to  depend  upon  the  product  of  their  own 
soil,  which  must  have  been  uncertain  from  the  variableness  of 
their  climate  ;  in  addition  to  which,  the  very  low  price  at 
which  it  was  obtainable  from  abroad,  must  have  caused  its  final 
neglect  in  England.  Part  of  France  being  also  in  the  time 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  VINE  INTO  BRITAIN. 

of  the  Henries  under  the  control  of  Britain,  that  circumstance 
would  doubtless  accelerate  the  importation  of  her  wines,  and 
the  general  advancement  of  agriculture  in  Britain  proving  it 
to  be  the  more  lucrative,  must  likewise  have  contributed  to  the 
abandonment  of  vineyards. 

The  suppression  of  the  monasteries  must  also  have  tended 
much  to  the  destruction  of  the  vineyards,  for  it  was  the  reli- 
gious fraternities  of  the  dark  ages  which  (as  Harte  observes) 
spread  out  from  Italy  in  all  directions,  that  carried  with  them 
the  knowledge  of  agriculture  and  gardening,  and  there  ap- 
pears consequently  little  doubt  that  orchards  and  vineyards 
were  common  appendages  to  abbeys  and  monasteries  from 
their  first  establishment,  at  least  in  the  southern  parts  of  the 
island,  as  the  monks  who  emigrated  from  Italy  had  been  so 
much  accustomed  to  the  habit  of  drinking  wine  at  their  meals, 
that  it  had  become  in  a  manner  necessary  to  them,  and  these 
gardens  and  vineyards  no  doubt  existed  until  the  time  of  the 
reformation. 

Grapes  first  came  in  demand  as  a  table-fruit  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  sixteenth  century.  They  appear,  however,  to  have 
become  rare  in  England  about  the  year  1 560,  during  the  reign 
of  Elizabeth,  and  from  that  time  their  culture  seems  to  have 
declined  for  a  long  course  of  years.  Since  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century,  great  interest  has  again  been  awakened 
to  the  culture  of  the  vine,  both  among  their  scientific  hor- 
ticulturists and  among  the  numerous  amateurs  of  this  fruit,  and 
grapes  for  the  table  are  now  produced  in  great  quantities  and 
in  the  highest  state  of  perfection  in  that  country  by  artificial 
culture  in  houses  suitable  for  forcing  their  growth  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  also  against  walls,  and  in  some  cases  in  open 
exposure ;  and  it  is  now  a  well-known  fact,  that  grapes  of  the 
finest  quality  for  the  table,  the  product  of  their  own  soil,  are 
a  regular  article  of  sale  in  the  London  markets  for  nine 
months  in  the  year.  In  regard,  however,  to  the  successful  re- 
establishment  of  vineyards,  the  question  is  yet  undecided  ;  the 
great  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  and  deficiency  of  sun,  pre- 
senting impediments  difficult  to  be  surmounted  ;  still  it  is  very 


' 


AGE  OF  THE  VINE. 


possible  that  by  a  judicious  selection  of  such  varieties  as  suc- 
ceed best  in  Switzerland,  Hungary,  America,  &c.  the  southern 
shores  of  Britain  may  yet  become  the  seat  of  prosperous 
vineyards, 


CHAFfER  V. 


Age  of  the  vine — Us  spread — size — size  of  the  bunches  and 

berries. 

In  regard  to  the  age  to  which  the  vine  will  survive,  we  have 
various  accounts  in  the  numerous  authors  who  have  written  on 
the  subject.  Pliny  names  a  vine  which  had  existed  six  hun- 
dred years.  Miller  tells  us  that  the  vineyards  in  some  parts 
of  Italy  will  hold  good  three  hundred  years,  and  that  vines  01 
one  hundred  years  of  age  are  yet  accounted  yoiung.  The 
learned  Professor  Bosc,  late  administrator  of  the  celebrated 
garden  of  the  Luxembourg,  at  Paris,  established  by  the  French 
government,  states  that  there  are  vines  in  Burgundy  of  up- 
wards of  four  hundred  years  of  age.  Some  authors  say  that 
in  point  of  age  the  vine  equals  or  even  surpasses  the  oak. 

In  our  own  country  we  have  yet  been  unable  to  ascertain 
the  age  to  which  it  will  attain  ;  and  the  period  that  has 
elapsed  since  its  discovery  would,  according  to  some  authors, 
be  insufficient  for  that  purpose,  had  the  experiment  even  been 
commenced  at  the  landing  of  Columbus.  But  I  have  never 
myself  seen  a  vine,  among  the  thousands  that  fill  our  forests, 
that  had  died  from  the  effects  of  age. 

Spread  of  the  vine. 

The  extent  of  the  branches  of  the  vine  is,  in  favourable  situ- 
ations and  circumstances,  fully  commensurate  with  its  produce 
and  the  period  of  its  endurance. 

In  the  hedges  of  Italy  and  in  the  forests  of  our  own  coun- 

4 


"26  SPREAD  OF  THE  VINE. 

try  the  loftiest  poplars,  oaks,  elms,  and  other  lords  of  the 
woods  are  overtopped  by  their  twining  branches,  and  in  many 
instances  trees  are  wholly  covered  by  them.  Speechly  tells  us 
of  a  vine  which,  in  1789  was  growing  in  the  open  air,  trained 
against  a  row  of  houses  in  North allerton,  Yorkshire,  and  which 
formerly  covered  a  space  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
square  yarcls,  having  existed  (in  1789)  above  150  years,  and 
that  it  was  judged  it  would  have  extended,  if  permitted,  to 
three  or  four  times  that  space.  The  circumference  of  the 
stem  of  this  .vine,  which  died  recently,  was  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  ground  three  feet  eleven  inches. 

The  vine  planted  by  Mr.  Eden,  at  Valentine  House,  in  Es- 
sex, (England)  in  1758,  which  is  the  Black  Hamburgh,  and 
the  parent  of  the  vine  at  Hampton-court,  has  a  stem  nineteen 
inches  in  girth,  and  has  extended  itself  to  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  and  covers  above  one  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  yards.  This  vine  is  said,  at  remote  periods,  never  to 
have  produced  less  than  three  hundred  weight  of  fruit  annu- 
ally, and  sometimes  four  hundred  and  a  quarter.  The  ave- 
rage profit  was  not  less  than  eighty  pounds  sterling  annually, 
when  the  grapes  ripened  in  June  ;  but  afterwards  when  the 
hot  house  was  kept  warmer,  so  that  they  ripened  in  March, 
the  crop  is  supposed  to  have  been  frequently  worth  300/.  per 
annum.  The  soil  in  which  it  grows  is  a  light,  loose,  brownish 
mould,  about  two  feet  in  depth,  on  a  bottom  of  loose  sand  and 
coarse  gravel ;  and  it  is  probably  from  this  soil  being  less 
congenial  to  it,  and  its  receiving  less  attention,  that  it  has  been 
surpassed  by  its  offspring  at  Hampton  Court.  It  however 
continues  so  productive,  that  it  produced  two  thousand  ripe 
bunches  in  1819. 

The  celebrated  vine  at  Hampton  Court,  which  was  planted 
in  1769,  has  a  stem  thirteen  inches  in  girth,  and  a  principal 
branch  one  hundred  and  fourteen  feet  in  length,  the  whole  vine 
occupying  above  one  hundred  and  sixteen  square  yards,  and 
in  one  year  produced  two  thousand  two  hundred  bunches  of 
fruit,  each  weighing  on  an  average  a  pound — in  all,  about  a 
ton. 


SIZE  OF  THE  VIMS.  ^7 

Valerianus  Cornelius  mentions  a  vine  that  encompassed  and 
surrounded  a  good  farm  house  with  its  branches,  and  Colu- 
mella  states  that  Seneca  had  a  vine  which  produced  him  two 
thousand  bunches  of  grapes  in  a  year. 

But  although  it  is  but  latterly  that  the  attention  of  our 
country  has  been  particularly  drawn  to  the  culture  of  the 
grape,  and  but  ten  years  have  elapsed  since  our  native  "  Isa- 
bella" was  brought  into  notice,  I  doubt  not  there  are  vines 
now  to  be  found  covering  as  many  square  yards  as  those  be- 
fore enumerated,  and  which  have  even  produced  as  many  clus- 
ters of  fruit,  although  the  diameter  of  the  stock  is  not  in  any 
case  one-fourth  of  the  size  to  which  the  former  had  attained. 
The  native  Catawba,  the  Alexander,  the  Scuppernon,  and  va- 
rious others,  are  of  such  rapid  growth,  that  it  needs  but  a  few 
years  to  form  vines  of  equal  extent  and  produce  with  those  so 
famed  by  the  ancients  and  moderns  of  other  climes. 

Size  of  the  vine. 

The  vine  is  considered  and  classed  as  a  trailing  shrub,  yet 
there  are  numerous  instances  where,  in  a  wild  state,  it  has  ar- 
rived at  great  dimensions,  and  there  are  even  cases  where  it  has 
done  so  (though  to  a  less  degree),  when  subjected  to  the  cul- 
ture bestowed  on  it  by  man,  several  instances  of  which  have 
been  already  enumerated. 

The  size  to  which  the  trunk  or  stem  sometimes  attains  is  so 
great,  as  to  have  been  formed  into  planks  of  fifteen  inches  in 
breadth,  and  also  to  have  been  used  in  furniture  and  statues. 
The  wood  is  of  the  greatest  durability,  and  Pliny  states  that 
none  is  of  a  more  lasting  nature,  and  that  vines  were  with  justice 
in  olden  times,  on  account  of  their  great  size,  ranked  among  trees. 
Both  he  and  Theophrastus  also  make  mention  of  a  vine  which 
had  attained  a  bulk  sufficient  to  make  a  statue  of  Jupiter,  for 
the  city  of  Apollonium ;  and  the  columns  for  Juno's  temple  at 
Metapont  were  also  made  of  the  vine.  The  great  doors  of  the 
cathedral  of  Ravenna  were  also  made  of  vine  planks,  some  of 
which  are  twelve  feet  long  and  fourteen  to  fifteen  inches  broad. 


*  SIZE  OF  THE  VINE. 

the  soil  of  that  country  producing  vines  of  prodigious  growth. 
Another  vine  is  mentioned  by  Strabo,  who  lived  in  the  reign  of 
Augustus,  as  growing  in  Margiana,  which  was  twelve  feet  in 
circumference,  who  also  states,  that  the  vines  there  produced 
bunches  of  grapes  two  cubits  or  a  yard  in  length.  At  Ecoan, 
near  Paris,  the  seat  of  the  late  Duke  of  Montmorency  is  a 
table  which  we  are  assured  was  made  from  the  body  of  a  single 
vine. 

Olearius  affirms  that  he  found  many  vines  near  the  Caspian 
Sea  whose  trunks  were  as  big  as  a  man ;  and  on  the  Barbary 
coast  vines  are  now  growing  of  surprising  dimensions,  some 
of  them  having  trunks  eight  or  nine  feet  in  circumference. 
There  was  a  vine  at  Besanqon,  in  France,  which  died  in  1793, 
that  had  a  trunk  one  metre  and  eight  decimetres  in  diameter. 
But  what  renders  these  facts  the  more  astonishing  is,  that  a 
tree  or  vine,  which  grows  in  such  a  wreathed  or  twisted  man- 
ner, more  like  a  rope  than  like  timber,  and  needing  the  sup- 
port of  others,  should  attain  to  such  a  bulk  and  firm  consis- 
tence. It  is  not,  however,  to  be  expected  that  vines  frequently 
pruned  and  dressed  will  pften  attain  to  such  great  dimensions, 
as  the  vigour  of  the  stock  is  by  such  means  transfused  into  the 
branches,  and  exhausted  in  the  production  of  fruit.  Such  ex- 
traordinary dimensions  and  such  great  age  are  not  to  be 
looked  for  in  cold  and  incongenial  climes  ;  although  instances 
have  occurred  in  England,  and  other  northern  climates,  where 
being  placed  in  a  genial  soil  and  situation,  they  have  attained 
to  an  amazing  size  and  expansion. 

.Size  of  the  bunches  and  berries, 

Almost  incredible  as  the  magnitude  to  which  the  vine  has 
attained  in  some  cases,  may  appear,  it  will  doubtless  equally 
amaze  some  persons  to  know  the  size  to  which  its  bunches  and 
fruit  have  arrived.  We  have  accounts  of  fruit  and  clusters 
of  such  extraordinary  size  as  to  appear  incredible  to  our  usual 
conception  of  grapes.  We  learn  from  Heutius  that  in  Crete, 
Chios,  and  other  islands  in  the  Archipelago,  the  vines  afford 


SIZK  OF  THE  BUNCHES  AJSD  BERRIES.  2 

bunches  of  grapes  of  from  ten  to  forty  pounds  weight  each. 
Chios,  now  Scio,  which  has  been  often  brought  to  mind  during 
the  recent  struggle  of  Greece,  has  long  been  celebrated  for 
its  vineyards,  and  its  wines  have  been  immortalized  by  the  pen 
of  Virgil.  Pliny  gives  us  an  account  of  Rhemnius  Palaemon, 
a  renowned  Roman  grammarian,  who  bought  a  farm  within 
ten  miles  of  the  city  of  Rome,  for  which  he  paid  six  hundred 
thousand  sesterces,  and  that  he  so  improved  it  by  cultivation, 
that  the  produce  of  his  vines  in  a  single  year  sold  for  four  hun- 
dred thousand  sesterces.  His  vines  produced  "  such  huge 
and  mighty  clusters  of  grapes,"  that  the  people  went  from  all 
quarters  to  see  them.  The  great  success  which  attended  his 
effort  was  attributed  by  some  to  his  deep  learning,  while  others 
accused  him  of  using  magic  and  the  black  art.  The  bunch 
of  grapes  which  was  borne  on  a  girdle  by  two  of  the  spies  on 
their  return  from  the  land  of  Canaan  has  been  already  referred 
to  ;  and  the  grapes  of  Damascus  at  the  present  day  are  often 
found  to  weigh  upwards  of  twenty-five  pounds  the  bunch. 

We  find  in  the  publications  by  John  Heyman,  professor  of 
oriental  literature  in  the  university  of  Ley  den,  and  in  those  of 
Egidius  Van  Egmont,  envoy  from  the  states  to  the  king  of 
Naples,  who  have  given  their  observations  on  the  present  con- 
dition of  ^Asia  Minor,  that  in  the  town  of  Sidonijah,  which  is 
situated  at  four  hours'  journey  from  Damascus,  some  of  the 
grapes  were  as  large  as  a  pigeon's  egg,  and  of  most  exquisite 
taste.  These  circumstances  corroborate  the  opinion  already 
advanced  and  generally  entertained,  that  the  species  of  grape 
now  so  widely  disseminated,  and  which  has  been  so  long  cul- 
tivated throughout  Europe  and  elsewhere,  is  a  native  of  Asia. 
The  cause  of  our  not  hearing  more  at  the  present  period,  of  enor- 
mous clusters  of  grapes  growing  in  the  eastern  parts  of  Syria, 
is  to  be  attributed  to  the  circumstance  of  that  portion  of  coun- 
try having  been  for  eleven  centuries,  since  Abubeker  overran 
it,  under  the  dominion  of  the  Saracens,  and  they  being  of 
the  Mahommedan  faith,  and  the  use  of  wine  consequently  pro- 
hibited, it  may  be  very  reasonably  supposed  that  the  culture 
of  the  vine  has  been  almost  totally  neglected. 


•  PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 

Several  remarkable  vines,  at  present  existing  in  England, 
have  been  already  mentioned.  A  collection  belonging  to  the 
Duke  of  Portland,  at  Welbeck,  is  said  to  comprise  above  a 
hundred  kinds;  and  it  was  he  who,  in  1781,  made  a  present 
of  a  bunch  of  grapes  to  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham,  which 
grew  in  his  vinery,  and  weighed  nineteen  pounds  and  a  half. 
This  bunch  was  nineteen  and  a  half  inches  in  the  greatest  dia- 
meter, four  and  a  half  feet  in  circumference,  and  twenty-one 
and  three  quarter  inches  in  length,  and  was  conveyed  a  dis- 
tance of  twenty  miles  by  four  men  who  carried  it  by  pairs  in 
their  turns,  suspended  on  a  staff.  This  was  of  the  variety  well 
known  by  the  title  of  the  Syrian  grape,  and  now  found  in 
several  collections  in  this  country. 

In  the  year  1821,  a  bunch  of  white  grapes  was  produced  in 
the  garden  of  the  Hon.  F.  G.  Howard,  at  Elford-hall,  Staf- 
fordshire, which  weighed  fifteen  pounds. 

In  the  vineyards,  however,  in  the  north  of  France  and  Ger- 
many, where  vines  are  grown  as  dwarf  standards,  the  general 
produce  is  only  from  three  to  nine  bunches  from  each  vine. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Preliminary  remarks  on  soil,  culture,  fyc. 

It  is  perhaps  universally  known  that  the  nature  of  the  vine 
varies  in  different  climates,  and  that  its  produce  is  also  ope- 
rated upon  by  the  same  influence.  It  is  therefore  necessary 
to  be  acquainted  with  the  cause  of  these  differences  in  order  to 
establish  certain  general  principles,  and  to  know  not  only 
what  these  are,  but  to  be  enabled  to  foresee  and  anticipate  their 
results. 

These  causes  consist  in  the  difference  of  climates,  in  the 
nature  and  exposition  of  the  soil,  in  the  character  of  the  sea- 
sons, and  the  methods  of  culture.  We  will  therefore  discuss 


CLIMATE.  31 

*"» 

in  succession  the  operation  and  effect  of  these  different  agents, 
and  then  deduce  the  natural  consequences,  both  in  respect  to 
the  nature  of  the  soil  in  which  the  vine  is  cultivated,  and  to 
the  kind  of  culture  which  appears  most  suitable  to  it. 

The  general  principles  which  we  shall  establish  in  speaking 
of -each  of  these  causes  separately,  will  allow  of  many  excep- 
tions :  this  will  be  easily  perceived  when  we  reflect  that  the 
operation  of  one  of  these  causes  may  be  perhaps  counteracted 
by  the  union  of  all  the  other  agents,  which  prevent  or  destroy 
its  natural  effect.  In  another  case  the  excellence  of  the  soil, 
the  appropriateness  of  the  climate,  and  the  quality  of  the  vine, 
may  counterbalance  the  effect  of  exposition  and  afford  good 
wine  in  a  situation  where,  if  we  considered  the  exposition 
alone,  we  should  judge  the  produce  would  be  of  bad  quality. 
But  the  principles  are  not  the  less  established  ;  and  the  only 
importance  that  can  be  attached  to  these  apparent  contradic- 
tions is,  that  in  order  to  ascertain  the  true  result  in  every  case, 
it  is  necessary  to  take  into  account  the  operation  of  all  the  in- 
fluential causes,  and  to  consider  them  as  the  necessary  ele- 
ments of  the  calculation. 

Climate. 

The  vine  is  now  considered  as  a  native  or  as  naturalized  in 
the  temperate  climates  of  both  hemispheres.  The  culture  of 
vineyards  in  the  old  world  extends  from  the  twenty-first  to  the 
fifty-first  degree  of  north  latitude,  or  from  Schiraz  in  Persia, 
to  Coblentz,  on  the  Rhine  :  some  authors,  however,  only  ex- 
tend its  southern  limit  to  the  twenty-fifth  degree  of  latitude. 
Vineyards  are  also  to  be  found  near  Dresden,  and  in  Moravia ; 
and  the  above  limits  also  include  the  southern  coast  of  Eng- 
land within  the  vine  region.  The  vineyards  of  Germany, 
situated  beyond  the  fifty-first  degree,  are,  however,  considered 
dubious  in  regard  to  their  product. 

It  is  affirmed  by  some  writers  that  it  seldom  flourishes  within 
twenty-five  or  even  thirty  degrees  of  the  equinoctial  line,  so  as 
to  produce  good  fruit ;  but  this  statement  would  exclude  it 


CLIMATE. 

from  some  countries  where  it  is  known  to  prosper.  Thunberg 
says,  that  grapes  do  not  ripen  very  well  in  Japan,  and  are  not 
high  flavoured ;  but  Browne  and  Lunan  tell  us  that  the  Mus- 
cadine grape  ripens  well  in  Jamaica,  maturing  all  its  berries 
nearly  at  the  same  time,  which  it  produces  in  clusters  of  from 
eight  to  ten  pounds  weight,  the  pulp  of  the  fruit  having  been 
found  to  be  less  watery  and  more  fleshy  than  in  those  of  the 
south  of  France,  and  that  two  crops  and  often  three  are  pro- 
duced in  a  year,  as  has  been  the  case  in  some  other  West  India 
islands.  They  consider  that  it  would  yield  a  mellow  and  rich 
wine  if  attention  were  paid  to  it.  It  is  therefore  remarkable 
that  sufficient  attention  has  not  been  there  devoted  to  it,  even 
to  raise  wine  for  their  own  consumption.  The  author  has  also, 
at  the  request  of  several  skilful  horticulturists  resident  there,  sent 
to  that  island  assortments  of  the  finest  varieties  of  grapes,  and  he 
deems  this  ample  proof,  that  they  had  been  generally  found  to 
succeed ;  but  it  is  possible  their  culture  may  have  been  con- 
fined to  the  mountain  lands,  which  are  much  cooler  than  the 
plains. 

It  appears  difficult  to  reconcile  the  statements,  that  the 
vine  will  not  succeed  in  tropical  climates,  with  the  fact  that 
many  varieties  support  the  greatest  artificial  heat  of  our  hot- 
houses not  only  uninjured,  but  with  every  favourable  result  to 
be  derived  from  an  increased  and  accelerated  vegetation  ;  but 
I  will  not  discuss  this  point  further  at  present,  it  being  suffi- 
cient for  my  purpose  to  consider  the  limit  as  set  down  by  the 
authors  who  have  been  referred  to. 

We  now  come  to  the  fact  universally  acknowledged  and 
adopted,  that  all  climates  are  not  suitable  to  the  culture  of  the 
vine.  If  it  grows  and  appears  to  vegetate  with  vigour  in 
very  northern  climates,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  its  fruit 
would  not  attain  there  to  a  sufficient  degree  of  maturity ;  and 
it  is  an  invariable  truth,  that  beyond  the  fifty-first  degree  of 
latitude,  the  juice  of  the  grape  does  not  possess  those  princi- 
ples necessary  in  fermentation  to  produce  good  wine. 

It  is  with  the  vine  in  respect  to  climate  as  of  all  other  vege- 
table productions.  We  find  at  the  north  a  vigorous  growth. 


CLIMATE. 


33 


the  plants  well  nourished  and  very  succulent ;  whilst  the  south 
presents  us  only  with  productions  replete  with  aroma,  resin, 
and  volatile  oil.  Here  every  thing  is  converted  into  spirit, 
there  all  is  employed  in  imparting  vigour. 

The  characters  so  marked  as  regards  vegetation,  are  also 
extended  to  the  phenomena  of  animalization,  where  spirit  and 
sensibility  appear  to  be  the  appendages  of  southern  climates, 
whilst  strength  is  the  attribute  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  north. 
Some  travellers  have  observed  that  several  insipid  vegetables 
of  Greenland  acquigtfjt  taste  and  flavour  in  the  gardens  of 
London.  Reynier  noticed  that  the  melilotus,  which  in  warm 
countries  has  a  penetrating  odour,  possesses  none  in  Holland ; 
and  it  is  well  known  that  the  most  subtle  poisons  of  particular 
plants,  and  of  many  animals,  are  extinguished  and  lose  their 
potency  by  degrees  in  those  which  exist  in  climates  further 
north.  The  saccharine  quality  of  some  vegetables  is  not 
perfectly  developed  except  in  tropical  countries ;  the  sugar 
cane,  often  cultivated  in  our  gardens,  possesses  scarcely  any 
of  the  saccharine  principle  ;  and  the  grape  itself  is  sour,  harsh, 
and  insipid,  when  cultivated  too  far  north. 

The  aroma  or  perfume  of  the  grape,  as  well  as  the  saccharine 
principle,  are  then  the  result  of  a  bright  and  constant  sun.  The 
sour  or  sharp  juice  which  is  contained  in  the  fruit  at  its  first 
formation,  cannot  be  suitably  elaborated  far  to  the  north,  and 
this  primitive  character  of  immaturity  is  still  retained  when 
the  return  of  frost  congeals  the  organs  of  maturation. 

In  like  manner  the  grape  at  the  north,  possessing  to  a  great 
degree  the  principles  of  putrefaction,  contains  scarcely  any 
element  of  spirituous  fermentation ;  and  the  juice  expressed 
from  it,  when  it  has  gone  through  that  process,  produces  a 
sour  liquor,  containing  barely  sufficient  alcohol  to  prevent  the 
advance  of  a  putrid  fermentation. 

With  regard  to  the  vine,  as  well  as  every  other  production  of 
nature,  there  exist  climates  which  are  peculiarly  suitable,  and  in 
Europe  it  is  in  those  which  lie  between  the  thirty-fifth  and 
fiftieth  degrees  of  latitude,  that  the  most  beneficial  results  are  to 
be  attained  from  the  culture  of  this  most  valuable  vegetable  pro- 

5 


34 

duction.  It  is  between  these  two  points  that  are  to  be  found 
the  most  renowned  vineyards,  and  the  countries  most  cele- 
brated for  their  wines,  'such  as  Spain,  Portugal,  France,  Italy, 
Austria,  Hungary,  Transylvania,  and  a  part  of  Greece.  But 
of  all  these  countries,  France  presents  by  far  the  greatest 
extent  of  vineyards,  and  no  one  of  the  others  possesses  as 
great  a  variety  of  temperature,  or  such  a  diversity  of  soil 
and  exposition.  From  the  shore  of  the  Rhine  to  the  foot  of 
the  Pyrenees,  the  vine  is  almost  every  where  cultivated,  and 
we  find  in  this  extensive  vine  region  jhe  different  species  of 
wines  most  esteemed  for  their  delicacy  of  flavour,  as  well  as 
those  most  prized  for  their  spirit.  In  that  country  they  are 
also  produced  in  such  abundance,  as  not  only  to  suffice  for 
their  own  immense  consumption,  but  to  furnish  the  nation 
with  infinite  resources  derived  from  this  species  of  culture, 
which  form  an  object  of  export  to  numerous  nations  in  the 
character  of  wines,  and  in  that  of  the  choicest  brandies  obtain- 
ed by  distillation.  The  very  great  variety  of  wines  which 
France  produces,  causes  also  within  her  own  limits  an  active 
trade  between  the  different  departments  ;  but  although  climate 
gives  to  its  productions  a  general  and  indelible  character, 
there  are  circumstances  that  modify  and  restrain  its  effects; 
and  it  is  only  by  turning  to  advantage  its  principal  operations, 
by  a  skilful  attention  to  their  application,  that  we  can  succeed 
in  deriving  from  them  the  best  results  of  which  the  climate  is 
susceptible.  It  is  from  inattention  to  this  particular,  that  we 
see  produced  in  the  same  climate,  wines  of  various  qualities, 
because  the  soil,  exposure,  and  culture,  often  modify  and  pre- 
vent the  immediate  effect  of  this  great  agent. 

In  respect  to  another  point  of  view,  the  most  intelligent 
writers  affirm,  that  there  are  some  kinds  of  vines  which  will 
not  allow  of  being  cultivated  indiscriminately  in  this  or  that 
locality.  The  soil,  climate,  exposition,  and  culture,  must  all 
be  peculiarly  appropriate  to  their  inflexible  character,  and  the 
least  variation  causes  an  essential  change  in  the  produce. 
These  writers  attribute  it  to  this  cause,  that  the  vines  of  Greece, 
when  transported  to  Italy,  no  longer  yielded  the  same  wine ; 


CLIMATE.  35 

and  that  the  vines  of  Falerno,  cultivated  at  the  base  of  Vesu- 
vius, have  changed  their  character ;  and  experience  has  con- 
firmed, that  the  vines  of  Burgundy,  transported  to  the  south  of 
France,  do  not  produce  wines  equally  delicate  and  agreeable. 

The  French  writers  state,  that  the  qualities  which  charac- 
terize certain  wines,  cannot  be  re-produced  in  various  places, 
and  that  to  attain  this  object,  it  would  require  the  constant 
influence  of  the  same  causes,  and  that  as  it  is  impossible  to  re- 
unite all  these,  it  must  be  necessarily  expected  that  changes 
and  modifications  will  ensue. 

Much,  however,  as  I  have  studied  various  authors  on  these 
points,  I  do  not  feel  willing  to  allow,  that  triflim:  variations  in 
climate  produce  so  great  changes  as  are  frequently  attribut- 
ed to  them,  and  think  that  very  great  allowances  are  to  be 
made  for  the  wide  differences  which  exist  in  the  mode  of  cul- 
ture, and  particularly  for  the,  great  variations  in  the  process 
adopted  in  making  the  wines.  The  most  eminent  writers  of 
the  French  Institute  assert  that  more  depends  on  a  judicious 
selection  of  the  varieties  of  grapes,  than  on  the  climate.  It 
is  however  a  just  conclusion,  that  warm  climates,  by  favouring 
the  formation  of  the  saccharine  principle,  produce  very  spirit- 
ous  wines,  inasmuch  as  heat  is  essentially  necessary  to  their 
production. 

But  it  is  requisite  that  the  fermentation  should  operate  in 
such  manner  as  to  decompose  all  the  saccharine  matter  of  the 
grape,  without  which  we  would  have  only  very  sweet  wines,  as 
is  observed  in  some  hot  climates,  and  in  those  cases  where  the 
saccharine  juice  of  the  grape  is  too  dense  to  attain  a  complete 
decomposition. 

Cold  climates  can  only  produce  weak  wines,  of  little  body; 
but  these  are  sometimes  agreeably  perfumed.  The  grapes  in 
which  there  exists  but  little  of  the  saccharine  principle  are  not 
adequate  to  the  formation  of  alcohol,  which  constitutes  the 
whole  strength  of  wines.  But  as,  on  the  other  hand  the  heat 
produced  by  fermentati  m  of  these  grapes  is  very  moderate,  the 
aromatic  principle  is  preserved  in  all  its  force,  and  contributes 
to  render  these  wines  very  pleasant,  although  they  are  weak. 


36 


SOIL, 


When  the  weather  becomes  cold  in  the  first  days  of  October, 
it  often  happens  in  the  climate  of  Paris  that  the  grape  ceases 
to  ripen,  and  the  berries  rot  in  succession;  and  the  wine  made 
from  such  grapes  is  deficient  in  strength,  and  of  short  durability. 

Soil 

The  vine  will  grow  in  every  species  of  soil,  but  its  produc- 
tions are  all  modified  according  to  the  nature  of  that  in  which 
it  is  cultivated.  There  is  a  manner  of  cultivating  it,  founded 
upon  its  natural  properties,  which  is  essentially  beneficial,  and 
which,  without  being  prejudicial  to  its  duration,  causes  it  to 
yield  constant  crops,  and  imparts  perfect  maturity  to  the  fruit, 
It  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  earth,  according  to  its  nature, 
modifies  after  a  different  manner  the  alimentary  principles  of 
plants,  and  also,  that  it  will  have  in  itself  a  decided  influence 
upon  the  quality  of  wines  ;  but  this  advantage  will  be  so  much 
the  more  sensibly  felt,  according  as  the  soil  by  its  nature  may 
possess  more  influence  upon  the  maturity  and  perfection  of  the 
grapes. 

If  we  were  to  form  our  judgment  of  the  quality  of  the  wine, 
by  the  vigour  of  vegetation,  it  would  be  to  the  soils  that  are 
rich,humid,  and  highly  manured,  that  we  should  confide  the  vine 
culture.  But  experience  has  taught  us,  that  scarcely  ever  is 
the  goodness  of  the  wine  in  proportion  to  the  growth  of  the 
plants.  It  might  be  said  that  nature^  ever  careful  in  the 
distribution  and  appropriation  of  each  description  of  soil  to  a 
particular  species  of  product,  reserved  the  dry  and  light  soils 
for  the  vine,  and  assigned  the  culture  of  grain  to  those  which 
are  rich  and  strong. 

Hie  segetes,  illic  veniunt  felicius  uva.  It  is  by  a  link  of  this 
admirable  distribution,  that  agriculture  covers  with  varied  pro- 
ductions the  surface  of  our  plaint ;  and  it  is  only  incumbent  on 
us  not  to  interrupt  the  natural  order,  and  to  apply  to  each 
locality  the  culture  that  is  most  suitable  to  it,  in  order  to  obtain 
in  almost  every  situation  both  abundant  and  varied  crops.  For 
although  the  vine  accommodates  itself  in,  fact  to  every  species 


SOIL.  37' 

of  soil,  provided  it  is  not  impervious  to  the  extension  of  its 
roots,  nor  saturated  with  stagnant  water;  yet,  in  order  to 
have  grapes  which  abound  in  the  saccharine  principle,  it  is 
necessary  to  plant  them  in  a  dry  light  soil.  The  nature  of -the 
soil  is  consequently  one  of  the  most  important  points  to  be 
examined. 

Strong  and  clayey  soils  are  not  in  any  respect  suitable  to 
the  culture  of  the  vine,  for  not  only  are  the  roots  deprived  of 
the  power  to  extend  themselves  and  ramify  to  a  suitable  de- 
gree in  such  stiff  and  compact  soils,  but  the  facility  with 
which  they  become  sodden  with  water,  and  their  tendency  to 
retain  it,  cause  a  continued  state  of  humidity,  which  rots  the 
roots,  and  imparts  to  all  the  vines  an  unhealthy  appearance, 
which  is  the  precursor  of  their  final  destruction.  It  is  of 
strong  soils  that  do  not  partake  of  the  injurious  qualities  which 
belong  to  clay  soils,  that  I  had  previously  spoken.  In  such 
the  vine  grows  and  vegetates  freely,  but  this  vigour  of  vegeta- 
tation  itself  is  essentially  detrimental  to  the  quality  of  the 
grape,  which  attains  with  difficulty  to  maturity,  and  generally 
produces  wine  without  spirit  or  flavour.  Nevertheless,  soils  of 
this  description  are  sometimes  appropriated  to  the  vine,  be- 
cause the  abundant  produce  makes  up  for  the  deficiency  in  the 
quality ;  and  it  is  often  more  advantageous  to  the  proprietor 
to  plant  vineyards  than  to  raise  grain,  as  on  such  soils  they 
require  but  little  culture.  Besides,  the  weak  but  abundant 
wines  furnish  a  suitable  drink  to  travellers  of  all  classes,  and 
can  be  used  for  distillation.  It  is  well  known  to  all  cul- 
tivators that  humid  soils  are  not  suitable  to  the  vine.  When 
soils  are  continually  saturated,  whether  they  are  strong  or 
light,  they  are  equally  incongenial  to  its  success  :  in  many 
cases  the  vine  languishes,  rots,  and  perishes ;  and  even  where 
the  vegetation  is  vigorous,  the  wine  obtained  will  be  watery, 
weak,  and  destitute  of  flavour. 

Calcareous  soils  are  in  general  proper  for  the  vine  ;  being 
arid,  dry,  and  light,  they  afford  a  support  suitable  to  the  plant. 
The  water  with  which  they  are  impregnated  at  intervals,  cir- 
culates and  penetrates  freely  throughout  the  whole,  the  nume- 


&v  SOIL, 

rous  ramifications  of  the  roots  absorb  it  at  all  their  pores,  and 
in  all  these  respects  a  calcareous  soil  is  very  favourable  to  the 
vine.  In  general,  wines  made  from  such  soils  have  much  spirit, 
and  the  culture  of  them  is  so  much  the  more  easy  as  the  earth 
is  light  and  loose ;  it  has  been  also  observed,  that  arid  soils 
seem  to  have  been  exclusively  destined  for  the  vine,  as  the  de- 
ficiency of  water,  of  vegetable  mould,  and  of  fertility,  repels 
the  idea  of  any  other  culture. 

But  there  are  soils  still  more  favorable  to  the  vine  :  these 
are  such  as  are,  at  the  same  time,  light  and  sandy  or  gravelly  ; 
the  roots  glide  easily  through  a  soil  which  the  mixture  of  light 
earth  and  of  rounded  pebbles  renders  very  permeable ;  the  bed 
of  gravel  which  covers   the  surface  of  the  earth,  protects  it 
from  the  parching  heat  of  the  sun,  and  whilst  the  vine  and  the 
fruit  receive  the  benign  influence  of  that  planet,  the  root  be- 
ing suitably  nourished,  supplies  the  sap  necessary  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  vegetation.     Soils  of  this  character  are  called 
by  the  different  titles  of  gravelly,  freestone,  stony,  sandy,  &c. 
Volcanic  soils  yield  also  delicious  wines  ;  and  it  is  mentioned 
by  Chaptal,  that  he  had  possessed  opportunities  of  observing 
in   many  of  the  southern  parts   of  France,  that  the  most  vi- 
gorous vines  and  the  choicest  wines,  were  the  produce  of  vol- 
canic remains.     These   primitive   soils  having  been  a  long 
time  operated  upon  in  the  bosom  of  the  globe  by  subterranean 
fires,  present  us  with   a  close  combination    of  almost  every 
principle  of  the  soils  of  the  earth,  these  being  perfectly  inter- 
mingled, half  vitrified,  and  decomposed  by  the  combined  ef- 
fects of  air  and  water,  furnish  all  the  elements  requisite  for 
favourable  vegetation,  and  the  heat  with  which  they  have  been 
impregnated,  seems  to  impart  itself  successively  to  all  the  plants 
which  are  cultivated  on  them.     The  Tokay  wines,  and  also 
the  finest  Italian  wines,  are  produced  on  volcanic  remains. — 
The  last  bishop   of  Agde   cleared   away  and  planted  with 
vines  the  old  volcano  of  the  mountain  at  the  foot  of  which 
that  ancient  city  is  situated,  and  these  plantations  now  form 
one  of  the  richest  vineyards  of  that  district. 

There  are  places  on  the  widely  varied  surface  of  our  globe 


where  the  granite  no  longer  presents  that  durability,  and  that 
unalterable  appearance  which  form  the  general  character  of 
that  primitive  rock.     It  appears  crumbled  and  dusty,  and  only 
presents  the  eye  with  the  semblance  of  dry  sand,  of  a  coarser 
or  finer   description.      It   is  on   these   mouldering   remains 
that  in  many  parts  of  France  they  cultivate  vineyards ;  and 
when  a  favourable  exposition  unites  to  aid  their  advancemem% 
the  wine  is  of  superior  quality.     The  famed  Hermitage  wine 
is  produced  from  a  soil  of  this  description.     It  is  easy  to  de- 
cide, in  accordance  with  the  principles  which  we  have  laid 
down,  that  a  soil  similar  to  the  one  just  described  cannot  fail  to 
be  congenial  to  the  production  of  good  wines.  Here  are  found 
at  once  that  lightness  of  the  earth  which  readily  allows  the  roots 
to  extend,  the  water  to  pass  through,  and  the  air  to  penetrate ; 
the  gravelly  surface  which  moderates  and  arrests  the  solar  heats ; 
that  valuable  combination  of  the  elements  of  earth  whose  union 
appears  so  advantageous  to  every  species  of  vegetation. 

From  the  result  of  various  observations,  it  seems  that  all 
light  soils,  whatever  be  their  colour,  when  porous,  fine,  and 
friable  in  their  composition,  and  which  allow  the  water  to  run 
freely  off,  both  from  the  surface  and  the  substratum,  are  the 
most  suitable  for  the  plant  and  for  the  quality  of  the  wine. 

The  agriculturist,  therefore,  who  is  more  anxious  in  regard 
to  the  quality  than  to  the  abundance  of  his  vintage,  will  estab- 
lish his  vineyard  in  light  and  gravelly  soils,  and  will  not  select 
a  rich  and  strong  soil,  except  with  the  intent  of  sacrificing  ex- 
cellence to  quantity. 

But  notwithstanding  the  principles  that  have  bee.n  advanced 
are  proved  by  nearly  all  the  observations  and  experiments  yet 
known,  there  are  nevertheless  particular  exceptions  which  ap- 
pear to  controvert  in  some  degree  their  universal  application ; 
for  Latouche  observes,  in  the  Memoir  of  the  Society  of  Agri- 
culture of  the  Seine,  that  the  esteemed  vineyards  of  Aix,  Eper- 
nay  and  Hautvilliers  on  the  Marne,  have  the  same  exposures, 
and  the  same  soil,  as  the  grain  fields  which  surround  them- 
It  has  however  been  remarked,  that  there  probably  exist  dif- 
ferences of  importance  not  discoverable  at  first  view,  but  which 


40  SOIL. 

need  a  careful  inspection  to  enable  a  correct  judgment  to  be 
formed ;  and  indeed  we  well  know  that  the  surface  of  the 
earth  often  presents  a  very  uncertain  criterion  by  which  to 
judge  of  its  formation  at  some  distance  beneath;  and  as  it  is  the 
subsoil  that  imparts  the  most  influence  to  the  roots  of  the  vine, 
so  it  is  to  that  we  are  to  look  for  the  most  important  results  on 
its  produce. 

It  is  observed  by  the  same  writer,  that  the  primitive  soil 
in  the  vineyards  which  occuoy  the  first  rank  in  Champagne,  is 
found  covered  over  with  aiSpmificial  surface  which  is  formed 
by  the  cultivators,  from  a  mixture  of  turf  and  very  rotten  ma- 
nure, of  common  soil  found  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  and  some- 
times of  black  putrid  sands.  These  species  of  soil  are  trans- 
ported into  the  vineyards  at  any  periods  of  the  year,  except 
during  the  time  of  vintage. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  the  propriety  of  being  circum- 
spect in  selecting  soils,  still  there  are  frequent  instances  where 
excellent  wines  and  bad  wines  are  produced  from  the  same 
kind  of  soil. 

In  general  where  lands  are  of  great  value,  those  only  should 
be  devoted  to  vines  where  the  soil  is  thin  and  inappropriate  by 
nature  or  position  for  the  production  of  grain,  &c.  because  it 
is  in  such  as  these  that  the  vine  finds  the  degree  of  humidity- 
requisite  to  cause  the  grapes  to  attain  to  full  size,  and  not  so 
much  as  to  counterpoise  the  action  of  solar  heat  in  the  forma- 
tion of  saccharine  matter,  and  in  evaporation  at  the  period  of 
maturity,  on  which  depends  the  excellence  of  the  wine.  By 
such  course,  a  tract  of  land  which  would  have  yielded  nothing 
but  bushes,  on  account  of  its  being  too  hilly,  or  so  stony  as 
not  to  be  susceptible  of  ploughing ;  or  having  a  thin  soil,  inca- 
pable of  retaining  during  the  heat  of  summer  sufficient  moisture 
for  the  growth  of  other  products — is  made  to  yield  a  large 
revenue,  often  far  greater  than  that  produced  by  good  soils 
under  other  species  of  culture. 

A  rich  soil,  as  has  been  already  stated,  is  advantageous 
when  great  product  is  required,  but  not  when  the  quality  is 
the  object  sought  for;  as  the  growth  is  so  much  prolonged. 


SOIL. 


41 


and  the  leaves  become  so  much  larger,  that  vegetation  does 
not  cease  until  after  the  heat  has  subsided,  and  the  grapes  are 
too  much  sheltered  from  the  rays  of  the  sun ;  whose  heat,  as 
already  remarked,  is  itself  the  true  cause  of  the  formation  of 
the  saccharine  matter* 

The  vine  having  roots  which  are  in  part  perpendicular,  and 
partly  horizontal,  it  consequently  accommodates  itself  equally 
to  a  deep  or  a  shallow  soil.  To  other  motives  of  preference 
for  soils  of  the  latter  description  may  be  joined  the  considera- 
tion, that  the  roots  feel  more  easily  the  effect  of  the  solar  heat ; 
that  their  vegetation  is  more  speedy  in  the  spring ;  that  they 
elaborate  the  sap  more  perfectly  during  the  summer  ;  and  that 
the  grape  attains  sooner  to  maturity  in  autumn.  And  I  cannot 
too  fully  impress  the  fact,  that  as  it  is  the  intensity  of  heat 
which  with  the  selection  of  the  variety,  influences  to  the  great- 
est degree  the  quality  of  the  wine,  it  is  necessary  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  every  circumstance,  in  order  to  increase  that  in- 
tensity ;  and  in  every  country  the  grape  which  ripens  a  month 
sooner  whilst  enjoying  the  heat  of  a  summer's  sun,  must  be 
sweeter  than  that  which  ripens  after  the  heat  has  diminished. 

The  fruit  of  the  vineyards  in  the  environs  of  Bonn,  which 
are  planted  upon  basalt,  ripens  sooner  and  more  perfectly  than 
those  planted  upon  the  neighbouring  calcareous  hills,  and 
furnishes  consequently  better  wine ;  therefore  the  former  vine- 
yards rent  at  a  higher  rate  than  the  latter.  In  a  memoir  of 
Rozier  he  remarks,  that  the  good  kinds  of  grapes  do  not  afford 
superior  wines  in  Burgundy,  at  Cote  Rotie,  &c.  except  when 
the  summer  and  autumn  have  been  hot,  and  the  fruit  has  ac- 
quired a  perfect  maturity. 

Influence  of  soil,  dye.  on  flavour. 

There  are  a  great  many  localities  in  France  and  other 
countries,  where  the  wines  have  a  peculiar  flavour,  often  not 
agreeable,  and  which  is  termed  taste  of  the  soil,  and  the  opi- 
nion is  generally  entertained  that  it  is  the  nature  of  the  soil 
which  causes  it.  What  has  probably  given  rise  to  and  sup- 


SUBSTRATA  OF  VINEYARDS 

ported  this  opinion  is,  that  wines  which  had  HO  bad  taste  have 
acquired  it  when  the  vines  which  produced  them  have  been 
too  highly  manured  with  the  filth  of  streets,  night  soit,'&c. 
I  will  make  one  observation,  which  induces  thelbelief  that  it 
is  not  always  by  passing  into  the  sap  that  this  bad  taste  is 
produced,  but  that  it  is  sometimes  communicated  to  the  fruit 
by  means  of  simple  emanation.  A  vine  on  a  trellice  fixed  in  a 
garden  at  the  angle  of  a  building,  extended  half  of  its  shoots 
in  a  yard ;  heaps  of  manure  were  placed  under  this  part  of 
the  vine,  and  the  grapes  became  bad,  but  those  on  the  other 
part  retained  their  quality.  This  vine  was  the  chasselas. 

Substrata  of  vineyards  in  France. 

The  greater  part  of  the  vineyards  of  France  are  in  a  soil 
composed  of  clay  and  limestone,  sometimes  primitive,  as 
those  of  Langres,  Nuits,  Chalons,  Moselle,  Barrois,  Haut- 
Rhin,  Haute-Saone,  Doubs,  Jura,  and  Haute  Marne,  and 
sometimes  secondary,  as  those  of  Entre-deux-mers  at  Bor- 
deaux, and  a  part  of  those  in  the  environs  of  Paris,  &c.  The 
greatest  part  of  the  vines  of  the  departments  of  Champagne, 
which  are  well  known  to  yield  estimable  wines,  are  planted 
on  a  chalky  soil,  where  often  there  is  not  more  than  five  or 
six  inches  of  earth,  or  rather  of  marl,  above  the  rock,  insomuch 
that  in  dry  seasons  the  vines  suffer  greatly,  as  was  the  case  in 
1810.  Latouche  attributed  to  the  chalk  the  weakness  of  the 
Champagne  wines,  but  other  authors  seem  with  more  justice 
to  attribute  it  to  the  deficiency  of  heat  in  that  climate. 

The  nature  of  the  soil  next  to  be  noticed  is  a  gravelly  clay, 
such  as  that  of  the  graves  of  Bordeaux,  the  environs  of 
Nismes,  Montpellier,  and  the  coast  of  the  Rhone,  &c.  There 
are  fine  wines  and  very  bad  wines  on  the  decomposed  remains 
of  granite,  as  those  of  Cote-Rotie,  Hermitage,  Romaneche, 
Chenard,  and  Beaujeu  among  the  former,  and  some  localities 
of  Upper  Burgundy,  Vosges,  Cevennes,  and  Limousin  among 
the  latter. 

The  vines  of  Anjou  grow  on   soils  whose  base  is  slate 


IN  FRANCE.  43 

(schist,)  which  is  deemed  excellent,  and  they  produce  white 
wines,  whose  saccharine  and  sparkling  character  assimilate 
much  to  those  of  Cote-Rotie,  St.  Peray,  &c. ;  and  similarly 
situated  are  also  the  esteemed  vineyards  of  Oberwesel,  Kaub» 
Vogtsberg,  and  Kulhberg  on  the  borders  of  the  Rhine. 

Volcanic  remains  yield  often,  as  has  been  already  stated, 
wines  of  the  first  quality,  among  which  may  be  enumerated 
a  part  of  those  of  the  Rhine,  those  of  Vesuvius,  Etna,  and 
Rochemaure ;  but  in  some  cases  they  afford  very  indifferent 
ones,  as  those  of  Auvergne ;  however,  in  the  latter  district 
the  climate  is  cold,  on  account  of  its  elevation,  which  may 
cause  their  want  of  excellence.  Argillaceous  soils  tha^  retain 
the  water  which  falls  on  them,  never  produce  any  but  indif- 
ferent wines. 

There  are  many  localities  where,  under  a  surface  of  mode- 
rate thickness  of  clay  and  limestone,  there  are  found  beds  of 
rocks  of  moderate  thickness,  broken  and  split  in  every  direc- 
tion. These  are  deemed  exceedingly  favourable  for  the  cul- 
ture of  the  vine,  as  a  portion  of  the  roots  insinuate  themselves 
into  the  interstices,  and  there  find  in  the  heat  of  summer,  not- 
withstanding the  dryness  of  the  surface,  a  degree  of  humidity 
fully  adequate  to  their  growth.  It  is  upon  the  same  principle 
that  soils  which  contain  the  most  stones  are  preferred  in  many 
districts  of  France,  and  that  Rozier  was  successful  in  his  ex- 
periment of  causing  his  vineyard  to  be  paved  in  the  environs 
of  Beziers. 

Instances  sometimes  occur  where  a  vineyard  whose  superfi- 
cial soil  is  apparently  the  same  in  every  respect,  will  produce 
in  different  sections  of  it,  wines  of  various  qualities.  Of  this 
description  M.  Dussieux  cites  the  small  vineyard  of  Morachet 
or  Mont  Rachet,  as  a  striking  example,  it  being  distinguished  in 
three  parts,  not  by  any  variation  in  the  soil,  exposure,  or  varieties 
of  the  grape,  but  according  only  to  the  difference  in  the  quality 
of  the  produce  ;  and  whilst  the  wine  from  one  section  sells  at 
twelve  hundred  francs  the  piece,  that  from  the  second  com- 
mands but  eight  hundred,  and  from  the  third  but  four  hundred. 
This  variation  is  attributed  no  doubt  justly  to  the  nature  or 


~*4  .EXPOSITION. 

position  of  the  substrata  or  beds  on  which  the  soil  rests,  and 
on  which  culture  can  have  no  effect,  as  the  effects  of  labour  do 
not  extend  to  a  sufficient  depth.  It  has  been  suggested, 
however,  that  possibly  the  vines  of  the  several  parts  are  not 
all  of  the  same  age,  and  a  great  difference  in  this  point  is 
known  to  carry  with  it  important  variations  in  the  results,  as 
will  be  shown  hereafter.  For  my  own  part,  I  do  not  put 
much  faith  in  those  miraculous  accounts  ;  and  am  fully  per- 
suaded that  where  real  differences  exist,  they  may  be  readily 
traced  to  a  plain  and  adequate  cause,  and  that  the  mystery 
which  some  lovers  of  the  marvellous  have  long  delighted  to 
hang  over  nature's  simplest  operations  will,  when  they  are  sub- 
jected to  suitable  investigation,  be  no  longer  allowed  to  ob* 
scure  our  vision  and  to  deprive  us  of  real  light. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

Exposition. 

Even  the  same  climate,  the  same  culture,  and  the  same  soil, 
often  produce  wines  of  very  different  qualities ;  and  it  frequent- 
ly occurs  in  wine  countries,  that  the  summit  of  a  mountain, 
whose  surface  is  completely  covered  over  with  vineyards,  yields 
in  its  various  aspects  an  astonishing  variety  of  wines.  Were 
we  to  judge  of  places  by  comparing  the  nature  of  their  pro- 
ductions, we  should  be  led  to  suppose  that  every  climate  and 
every  species  of  soil  had  combined  to  furnish  the  various  arti- 
cles which  are  frequently  in  fact  but  the  produce  of  contiguous 
soils,  possessing  different  exposures. 

This  variation  in  the  productions  of  the  earth  arising  from 
exposition  alone,  is  perceptible  in  all  the  results  which  depend 
on  vegetation ;  the  wood  cut  in  that  part  of  a  forest  which 
fronts  the  north,  is  much  less  combustible  than  that  of  the  same 
kind  which  grows  on  the  south.  Odoriferous  and  sweet  tasted 


EXPOSITION.  4 

plants  lose  their  perfume  and  flavour  when  they  are  cultivated 
in  rich  soils  with  a  northern  exposure.  Pliny  had  even  noticed 
in  his  day,  that  the  wood  on  the  south  side  of  the  Appennines 
was  of  better  quality  than  that  growing  in  other  aspects  ;  and 
every  one  is  well  acquainted  with  the  effect  of  exposition  upon 
vegetables  and  fruits. 

These  phenomena,  so  sensibly  felt  by  all  the  products  of 
vegetation,  are  more  particularly  so  by  the  grape  ;  and  a  vine 
exposed  to  the  south  yields  fruit  very  different  from  those  which 
front  the  north.  Even  the  surface  of  the  vineyard,  possessing 
a  greater  or  less  inclination,  although  the  exposure  is  the  same, 
gives  rise  to  many  variations.  The  summit,  the  middle,  or  the 
base  of  a  hill  yield  very  different  crops.  An  exposed  summit 
feels  the  immediate  effect  of  every  change,  and  of  every  move- 
ment which  arises  in  the  atmosphere;  the  winds  injure  the 
vines,  the  fogs  have  a  constant  effect  upon  them,  the  tempera- 
ture is  there  more  variable  and  cold ;  all  these  circumstances 
united  cause  the  grapes  in  such  a  situation  to  be  less  abundant, 
to  attain  more  slowly  and  imperfectly  to  maturity,  and  the 
wine  which  is  made  from  them  is  inferior  in  quality  to  that 
produced  on  the  middle  of  the  hill,  whose  position  averts  the 
injurious  effects  of  most  of  the  causes  I  have  enumerated. 
The  base  of  the  hill  presents,  in  its  turn,  serious  inconveni- 
ences. The  general  goodness  of  the  soil  will,  without  doubt, 
support  the  growth  of  a  vigorous  vineyard,  but  the  fruit  is  neither 
as  sweet,  nor  of  as  pleasant  a  flavour  as  about  the  middle  of 
the  hill ;  the  air  is  constantly  filled  with  humidity,  and  the 
earth  continually  saturated  with  water,  which  enlarge  the  fruit 
and  advance  vegetation  to  a  degree  prejudicial  to  the  quality 
of  the  wine. 

The  most  favourable  exposure  for  a  vineyard  is  between 
the  rising  and  mid-day  sun.  Hills  that  are  situated  above  a 
plain,  through  which  there  runs  a  river  or  a  constant  stream 
of  water,  afford  the  best  wine;  but  it  is  preferable  that  they 
should  not  be  located  too  near  to  it. 

An  exposure  fronting  the  setting  sun  is  deemed  very  unfa- 
vourable :  the  earth  dried  by  the  heat  of  the  day,  presents 


•  .EXPOSITION. 

towards  evening  to  the  oblique  solar  rays,  which  are  almost  pa- 
rallel with  the  horizon,  only  an  arid  soil  deprived  of  humidity  ; 
the  sun  also  in  such  case  by  its  position  is  enabled  to  penetrate  to 
the  lower  part  of  the  vines,  and  darts  its  rays  upon  grapes 
which  are  unprotected,  heats  and  dries  them,  and  ripens  them 
prematurely,  stopping  their  growth  before  they  have  attained 
their  usual  size,  and  before  the  proper  period  of  their  maturity 
has  arrived. 

Nothing  can  afford  a  more  correct  judgment  of  the  influence 
of  exposition,  than  to  view  one's  self  the  effects  in  a  vineyard, 
located  on  uneven  ground,  which  is  here  and  there  planted 
with  trees ;  in  one  place  all  exposures  seem  concentrated  upon 
a  single  point,  and  there  are  presented  all  the  effects  which 
should  result  from  it.  The  vines,  shaded  by  the  trees,  push 
out  long  thin  shoots,  that  yield  but  little  fruit,  which  only 
attains  a  late  and  imperfect  maturity.  On  the  most  elevated 
part  of  the  vineyard,  which" is  generally  less  covered,  the  vege- 
tation is  less  vigorous,  but  the  fruit  is  of  better  quality  than  in 
the  low  bottoms.  It  is  invariably  on  this  part  most  exposed 
to  the  sun,  that  we  may  meet  with  the  finest  grapes. 

Thiebaut  de  Berneaud  remarks  that  an  eastern  aspect  would 
be  preferable  to  all  others,  if  it  did  not  expose  the  plants  during 
the  first  warm  days  of  spring,  to  be  blasted  by  the  burning 
rays  of  the  sun  operating  upon  the  small  isicles,  each  of  which 
acts  as  a  lens.  A  southern  exposure  (he  continues)  is  generally 
too  hot  in  a  warm  climate,  and  a  western  one  is  least  to  be 
desired,  as  the  plant  there  receives  a  direct  heat,  after  the 
early  hours  of  the  day  have  abstracted  the  moisture,  and  there- 
fore dries  and  burns  it ;  and  he  recommends  as  a  general  rule, 
that  in  southern  regions  an  eastern  aspect  should  have  the 
preference,  and  in  northern  ones  that  a  southern  exposure 
should  be  selected. 

A  northern  exposure  has  been  generally  regarded  as  the 
worst  for  vineyards,  from  the  consideration  that  the  cold  and 
moist  winds  retard  the  maturity  of  the  fruit,  and  that  from 
this  cause  it  must  remain  sour,  harsh,  and  devoid  of  sweet- 
ness, and  that  the  wine  partaking  of  course  of  these  qualities. 


EXPOSITION  41 

must  consequently  be  weak  and  of  inferior  flavour.  It  will 
be  necessary  to  weigh  the  probability  of  these  effects  which 
appear  to  apply  fully  only  to  the  more  northern  latitudes,  or  to 
localities  peculiarly  unfavourable.  This  opinion,  so  often  ad- 
vanced by  intelligent  writers,  as  well  as  the  general  principles 
which  we  have  previously  laid  down  in  regard  to  the  effect  of 
exposition,  has  to  contend  with  many  exceptions.  The  wines 
of  the  Rhine,  so  much  esteemed  by  many  persons,  are  pro- 
duced from  vineyards  having  a  northern  exposition ;  at  least 
in  the  valley  of  the  Rhine  as  far  as  Bonn,  and  in  that  of  the 
Meuse  as  far  as  Liege,  the  famous  vineyards  of  Epernay  and 
Versenay  on  the  mountain  of  Rheims,  are  exposed  directly  to 
the  north,  although  in  latitude  49  deg.  15  min.  and  in  the  dis- 
trict which  terminates  the  successful  culture  of  the  vine  in  that 
direction. 

The  vineyards  of  Nuits  and  of  Beaune,  as  well  as  the  best; 
of  Beaugenci  and  Blois,  face  the  rising  sun  ;  those  of  Loire- 
et-Cher  front  the  north  and  the  meridian  indiscriminately  ;  the 
finest  crus  of  the  vineyards  of  Indre-et-Loire,  and  the  best 
hills  of  Saumur,  face  the  north  ;  and  among  the  finest  wines 
of  Angers  we  find  some  made  in  every  exposure.  There  are, 
m  fact,  few  wine  districts  in  the  east  of  France,  where  some 
vineyards  have  not  a  north  exposure,  as  is  well  known,  and 
frequently  these  are  the  vineyards  whose  produce  is  the  most 
esteemed  as  wines,  as  I  will  show  hereafter.  It  may,  there- 
fore, with  justice  be  argued,  that  advantages  are  to  be  derived 
from  a  northern  exposure  which  are  of  the  greatest  importance. 
In  a  climate  subject  to  late  spring  frosts,  such  a  situation  is 
calculated  to  retard  the  expansion  of  the  foliage,  until  the 
period  of  danger  shall  be  past  or  nearly  so.  Vines,  there- 
fore, which  have  a  northern  aspect,  possess  a  great  advantage 
over  others,  because  they  are  far  less  subject  to  the  disastrous 
effects  of  spring  frosts,  and  in  our  country  where  the  heat  of  the 
summer  sun  is  so  powerful,  and  the  atmosphere  becomes  dur- 
ing that  period  so  filled  with  caloric,  I  think  the  vines  cannot 
faiJ  to  receive  a  sufficiency  of  its  influence  to  perfect  the  ma- 
turity of  the  fruk,  particularly  in  the  middle  and  southern  part? 


48 


EXPOSITION. 


of  the  Union.  One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  we  have  yet 
had  to  contend  with  in  some  sections  of  our  country,  has  been 
late  spring  frosts,  and  this  would  by  such  an  exposition  be  in 
a  great  degree  removed  ;  and  I  think  the  subject  worthy  of 
the  particular  attention  of  those  who  plant  vineyards,  in  order 
that  experiments  may  be  made  calculated  to  give  us  a  full 
and  perfect  knowledge  in  regard  to  any  advantages  that  may 
be  derived  from  such  a  course. 

The  further  we  advance  to  the  north,  the  more  necessary  it 
appears  to  be  to  plant  vineyards  only  on  the  hills,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  greater  action  of  the  sun's  rays,  and  of  the 
diminished  influence  of  the  humidity  of  the  soil.  Localities 
exist  in  cold  climates  which  are  so  sheltered  that  they  expe- 
rience during  summer  a  degree  of  heat  equal  to  hot  climates. 
These  are  such  as  have  a  southern  exposure,  and  are  shut  in 
by  mountains  from  the  north,  east,  and  west  winds.  The 
deeper  the  -vallies,  the  more  easily  the  culture  of  the  vine  is 
extended  to  the  north,  as  is  proved  by  those  of  the  Rhine, 
Moselle,  &c.  ;  and  the  greater  the  angle  formed  by  the  hill 
side,  the  more  directly  will  the  vine  receive  the  sun's  heat,  and 
it  will  consequently  mature  its  fruit  more  perfectly,  and  yield 
superior  wine  in  proportion  to  the  steepness  of  the  mountain. 
Exposition  is  therefore  deemed  one  of  the  primary  considera- 
tions in  the  location  of  vineyards  in  Germany,  and  in  the  north 
and  middle  of  France,  and  the  same  rule  must  be  applied  to 
their  location  in  the  northern  parts  of  our  Union,  where  in- 
numerable localities  of  the  description  referred  to  are  to  be 
every  where  found. 

In  the  department  of  Arriege,  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees, 
the  vineyards  are  planted  half  way  up  the  highest  mountains, 
in  spots  entirely  covered  with  large  smooth  stones,  and  many 
of  the  fine  vineyards  of  Tokay  lie  on  the  highest  flanks  and 
ridges  of  a  promontory  exposed  to  the  north  and  west  at  the 
confluence  of  Bodrog  and  Thibisk,  and  are  covered  with  large 
calcareous  pebbles. 

"  Bacchus  amat  colles"  says  Virgil,  and  many  persons  sup- 
pose that  good  wine  cannot  be  made  in  plains.  This  supposi- 


EXPOSITION. 


49 


tion  is  generally  true  in  relation  to  northern  climates,  but  there 
are,  nevertheless,  a  great  many  vineyards  in  plains,  or  on 
lands  almost  level  in  every  country  which  possesses  vineyards. 
The  districts  of  St.  Denis  and  Sandillon,  department  of 
Loiret,  and  those  which  yield  the  finest  Orleans  wines,  are 
plain  lands.  Medoc,  in  the  department  of  Gironde,  is  en- 
tirely a  champaign  country,  and  there  we  know  are  situated 
the  famed  vineyards  of  Lafitte,  Chateau-Margaux,  Larose, 
Leoville,  Branc-Mouton,  &c.  the  wines  of  which  are  high 
flavoured,  pure,  smooth,  velvetty,  full  of  body  and  spirit,  with 
flavour  resembling  that  of  the  violet  or  the  raspberry.  The 
same  remark  will  apply  to  a  great  number  of  the  wines  of 
Languedoc,  to  the  well  known  vineyards  of  Tpnnere,  to 
Chablis,  in  the  department  of  L'Yonne,  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone,  and  to  those  of  the  department  of  Charente-inferieure : 
in  Burgundy  there  are  also  several  excellent  vineyards  that 
are  similarly  situated. 

In  cold  latitudes  it  is  requisite  to  plant  vineyards  as  distant 
as  possible  from  woods  and  water,  as  both  these  render  the 
atmosphere  more  cool.  It  is  in  cold  climates  particularly  that 
a  dry  soil  is  to  be  preferred  to  a  moist  one,  in  cases  where 
the  quality  of  the  produce  is  of  particular  importance.  In 
hot  climates  the  vine  yields  abundantly  without  much  care,  but 
in  northern  latitudes  it  requires  skill  to  accomplish  the  desired 
end. 

Vineyards  may  be  cultivated  with  success  on  mountains  in 
a  country  where  the  natural  climate  of  the  plains  and  in  the 
valleys  would  not  admit  of  it.  The  more  elevated  the  moun- 
tain, the  more  the  temperature  is  diminished.  Vines  therefore 
planted  on  those  in  hot  countries  that  are  very  high,  find 
themselves  in  a  similar  climate  to  those  planted  in  the  plains 
and  vallies  of  temperate  and  cold  latitudes.  It  is  from  this 
circumstance  that  the  vine  is  cultivated  in  Abyssinia,  on  Mount 
Lebanon,  on  the  high  table  lands  of  Mexico,  and  the  Cordil- 
leras on  the  route  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  Chili,  when  it  will 
not  succeed  in  Sennaar  and  other  places  similarly  situated. 

7 


aO  EXPOSITION. 

The  middle  part  of  the  hills,  as  has  been  noticed,  yield  in 
all  cases  the  best  wine,  because  the  grapes  ripen  there  better"; 
and  it  has  been  constantly  remarked  that  those  on  the  most 
elevated  and  on  the  lowest  part  ripen  latest,  the  former  because 
they  are  exposed  to  the  winds,  and  the  latter  because  their 
roots  are  in  a  more  humid  situation,  and  they  grow  more  vi- 
gorously. The  skirts  of  hills  and  slopes  gradually  swelling 
from  a  plain  are  suitable  positions  for  vineyards. 

Narrow  vales,  ravines,  and  dells,  through  which  a  stream  of 
water  flows,  are  not  good  locations  for  vines  on  account  of  the 
winds  and  currents  of  cold  air  prevalent  in  such  places,  and 
the  damp,  fog,  and  mists  arising  from  evaporation.  It  is  not 
to  be  understood  that  vines  will  not  succeed  in  the  vicinity  of 
a  stream  of  running  water,  for  the  contrary  opinion  has  been 
already  advanced  ;  but  that  such  streams  are  disadvantageous 
only  when  the  vineyards  are  located  too  near  them  in  the 
colder  latitudes,  or  when  in  such  or  more  southern  climates 
the  location  is  so  contracted  as  not  to  admit  of  a  free  and 
open  action  to  the  air,  as  well  as  to  the  solar  rays :  the  vine- 
yards on  the  Rhone,  Gironde,  and  Marne  bear  witness  to  the 
strength  of  these  arguments. 

Although  heat  is  absolutely  necessary  to  ripen  and  to  give 
sweetness  and  flavour  to  the  grape,  it  would  be  erroneous  to 
suppose  that  by  its  sole  influence  it  can  produce  all  the  effects 
desirable.  We  can  only  consider  it  as  an  agent  necessary  in 
the  elaboration,  which  presupposes  that  the  earth  supplies  the 
juices  which  are  requisite  in  the  operation.  Heat  is  a  necessary 
agent ;  but  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  its  influence  may  be 
exercised  upon  a  parched  soil,  for  in  this  case  it  burns  rather 
than  vivifies. 

We  sometimes  witness  in  the  burning  climates  of  the  south, 
that  the  natural  heat  of  the  sun,  seconded  by  the  effect  of  re- 
verberation from  certain  rocks  or  particular  soils,  parches  up 
the  grapes  which  are  there  exposed  to  its  power.  The  flourish- 
ing condition  of  a  vine,  and  the  good  quality  of  the  grape, 
depend  therefore  upon  a  proportionate  influence  and  upon  a 


SJtiASOXS.  51 

perfect  equilibrium  between  the  water  which  is  to  supply  the 
aliment  of  the  plant,  and  the  warmth  which  can  alone  facili- 
tate the  elaboration. 


CHAPTER  VIII.   . 

Seasons. 

« 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  character  of  the  season  ma* 
terially  affects  the  quality  of  the  wine,  and  its  influence  may  be 
naturally  deduced  from  the  principles  which  we  have  esta- 
blished in  speaking  of  the  effects  of  climate,  soil,  and  expo- 
sure, since  we  have  stated  the  influence  which  humidity,  cold, 
and  heat  exercise  on  the  formation  and  the  quality  of  the 
grape.  In  fact,  a  cold  and  rainy  season,  in  a  country  natu- 
rally hot  and  dry,  will  produce  the  same  effect  upon  the 
grapes  as  a  northern  climate  ;  this  variation  in  the  tempera- 
ture, by  making  climates  more  like  each  other,  assimilates 
their  various  productions. 

The  vine  delights  in  a  regular  heat,  and  as  the  grape  at- 
tains to  perfection  only  in  dry  and  sunny  situations,  there- 
fore when  a  rainy  season  keeps  the  soil  in  a  constant  state  of 
humidity,  and  maintains  in  the  atmosphere  a  cold  and  moist 
temperature,  the  grape  will  not  acquire  either  sweetness  or 
flavour,  and  the  wine  made  from  it  will  necessarily  be  weak 
and  insipid,  although  abundant.  Such  wines  are  preserved 
with  difficulty,  the  small  quantity  of  alcohol  they  contain  be- 
ing often  insufficient  to  preserve  them  from  decomposition ; 
and  the  great  evaporation  which  is  natural  to  wines  of  this 
description,  causes  movements  that  continually  tend  to  change 
their  character.  .These  vines  often  become  ropy,  and  some- 
times turn  to  vinegar,  but  their  small  portion  of  alcohol  does 
not  even  allow  of  their  making  good  vinegar ;  they  also  con- 
tain a  great  deal  of  malic  acid,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter ; 


52  RAINS, 

it  is  this  acid  which  gives  them  a  peculiar  taste,  a  sourness 
which  is  not  acetous,  and  which  forms  a  prevalent  character  in 
wines,  according  to  their  deficiency  in  spirit. 

The  influence  of  the  seasons  upon  the  vine  is  so  well  known 
in  every  wine  country,  that  for  a  long  period  previous  to  the 
vintage,  they  predict  what  will  be  the  quality  of  the  wine. — 
In  general,  when  the  season  is  cold,  the  wine  is  harsh  and  bad 
tasted;  when  it  is  rainy,  it  is  weak,  with  little  spirit,  and 
abundant,  and  it  is  destined  in  anticipation  (at  least  in  the 
south  of  France)  to  distillation,  because  it  would  be  both 
difficult  to  preserve  and  disagreeable  to  drink. 

We  will  now  consider  the  effects  of  seasons,  with  all  their 
attendant  variations,  and  the  difficulties  to  which  they  give 
rise  under  their  respective  heads,  and  point  out  as  far  as  pos- 
sible how  these  natural  obstacles  to  success  may  be  counter- 
acted or  modified  in  their  injurious  effects. 

Rains. 

A  rainy  season  in  any  climate,  or  under  any  circumstances? 
is  neither  beneficial  to  the  vine  nor  to  its  crops.     The  effect  of 
continued  rains  upon  the  vine,  and  upon  the  produce  of  the 
vintage  varies  however  according  to  the  season  at  which  they 
take  place.     If  in  winter,  they  stop  the  labour,  at  least  where 
the  soil  is  composed  of  marl,  or  apt  to  become  miry,  and  the 
ploughing,  trenching,  pruning,  and  other  operations  are  con- 
sequently impeded.     In  the  spring  at  the  time  the  vines  begin 
to  shoot,  they  cause  a  premature  expansion  of  the  buds  and  an 
excessive  growth  of  the  branches  and  leaves,  which  is  injuri- 
ous to  the  fruit,  and  causes  a  diminution  in  the  number  of 
bunches,  and  also  of  the  berries  on  them.  When  the  grapes  are 
in  flower,  rains  produce  the  coulure,  or  blight,  especially  if  the 
weather  is  cold  at  the  same  time ;  when  the  grapes  are  half 
grown,  they  stop  their  growth,  in  consequence  of  the  sap  be- 
coming watery  and  deficient  in  nourishment ;  when  the  fruit  is 
more  advanced,  they  tend  to  prevent  their  acquiring  that  sac- 
charine flavour  which  is  proper  for  them,  and  cause  them  to 


POOS. 


ripen  slowly ;  alter  maturity  they  retard  the  vintage,  and  cause 
the  grapes  to  rot.  This  delay  of  the  vintage  is  more  or  less 
in  proportion  as  the  rains  are  cold  or  of  long  continuance. 

•••-.>*•  »  '••    '•-'•"          •  *"  •  • 

Fogs. 

Fogs  are  injurious  to  the  stock,  flower,  and  fruit.  Their 
effects  are  to  render  the  vines  more  sensible  to  frost  as  well  in 
spring  as  in  autumn,  and  they  have  a  tendency  to  advance  the 
coulure  or  blight  of  the  blossoms  at  the  former  season,  and  to 
retard  the  maturity  of  the  fruit  at  the  latter.  The  moisture 
they  deposit  saturates  the  plant  so  completely,  that  it  exposes 
it  to  very  great  injury  from  heat  arising  from  a  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  the  sun.  Most  of  the  evils,  however,  which  are 
attributed  to  fogs,  are  produced  by  cold,  without  which  they 
would  not  exist,  and  fogs  must  therefore  only  be  considered  as 
secondary  agents  in  the  evils  they  create. 

Droughts. 

If  a  superabundant  humidity  is  injurious  to  vines,  extreme* 
droughts  are  not  less  so.  When  of  a  minor  degree,  a  drought 
prevents  the  leaves  and  fruit  from  being  fully  developed  ;  in  its 
greatest,  it  dries  up  the  former  and  shrivels  the  latter,  which 
destroys  all  prospects  of  a  crop,  and  produces,  even  in  subse- 
quent years,  effects  analogous  to  autumn  frost.  When  these 
excessive  droughts  happen  at  the  period  which  precedes  that 
of  the  maturity  of  the  fruit,  the  grapes  become  sooner  coloured, 
gain  less  in  size,  have  a  thicker  skin,  and  juice  less  sweet,  and 
yield  less  wine,  and  that  of  a  worse  quality.  These  effects  are 
more  or  less  felt  according  to  the  climate,  soil,  exposition,  &c. 
By  planting  the  vines  close,  and  by  sheltering  them  from  the 
sun's  heat  by  trees,  hedges,  &tc.  these  inconveniences  could  be 
removed,  but  these  means  are  repelled  by  the  fact  that  weather 
moderately  hot  and  dry  is  that  which  best  advances  the  good 
quality  of  the  produce  of  the  vine,  and  that  the  injuries  re- 
sulting from  such  a  course  would  more  than  counterbalance 


54  FROSTS. 

its  benefits.  In  northern  latitudes  vines  are  more  sensibly 
affected  by  a  drought  than  in  southern  ones,  because  their 
roots  are  not  as  strong,  and  they  are  less  accustomed  to  it. — 
The  foliage  of  vines  during  a  drought  puts  on  a  yellowish  ap- 
pearance and  no  longer  fulfils  its  functions,  which  can  alone 
be  prevented  by  watering  them. 

Frosts. 

The  vine  being  a  native  of  warm  climates,  is  subject  to  be 
affected  by  frosts ;  this  is  the  most  formidable  and  most  fre- 
quent of  the  evils  to  which  its  nature  exposes  it.  Cultivators 
should  therefore  do  every  -thing  to  protect  it  from  their  effects, 
and  to  diminish  the  injuries  resulting  therefrom.  It  is  proper 
these  injuries  should  be  considered  under  three  heads.  The 
first  comprises  early  autumnal  frosts :  these  dry  up  the  foliage 
before  its  time,  injure  the  shoots  whose  wood  is  not  yet  ripened, 
prevent  more  or  less  the  maturity  of  the  fruit,  thereby  causing 
the  wine  to  be  of  bad  quality,  and  tend  even  to  the  destruction 
of  the  crop.  Varieties  that  vegetate  late,  especially  when  the 
vines  are  not  strong,  are  more  exposed  than  others  to  the  be- 
forenamed  effects.  These  frosts,  by  preventing  the  branches 
from  completing  their  maturity,  often  produce  consequences 
which  are  felt  by  the  crops  for  succeeding  years.  When  vines 
are  materially  injured  by  frost,  it  is  best  to  prune  them  down 
to  a  single  eye,  and  not  to  leave  any  long  shoots,  thus  resign- 
ing the  prospect  of  an  abundant  crop  to  the  necessary  re- 
establishment  of  the  strength  and  vigour  of  the  vines. 

Under  the  second  head  are  the  severe  winter  frosts,  which 
attack  the  branches  after  the  leaves  are  fallen.  Their  effect 
upon  the  crop  of  the  ensuing  year  are  similar  to  the  preced- 
ing, although  in  a  less  degree,  as  in  this  case  it  is  in  general 
only  the  upper  part  of  the  shoots  which  is  affected  ;  but  it  is 
far  more  disastrous  when  the  whole  shoot  is  injured,  so  that 
no  living  buds  remain,  because  the  vine  is  then  forced  to  form 
new  shoots  from  the  old  wood,  an  operation  of  much  difficulty, 
and  which  produces  such  feeble  branches,  that  it  is  generally 


FROSTS.  55 

more  advantageous  to  plant  a  new  vine  than  to  depend  on  it. 
It  has  been  remarked  that  vines  which  are  left  tied  to  the 
poles  are  more  liable  to  be  injured  by  the  severe  winter  frosts, 
than  those  which  are  loosened  and  left  to  trail  on  the 
ground.  This  fact  is  sufficiently  explained  by  the  circum- 
stances of  the  snow  often  covering  and  protecting  them,  and 
by  the  emanations  of  caloric  from  the  earth.  It  is,  therefore, 
based  on  conclusive  circumstances,  and  should  be  generally 
known  and  adopted.  It  is  very  seldom  that  the  old  wood  of 
vines  is  frozen,  and  it  is  known  when  this  does  happen  there 
is  no  other  course  but  to  dig  up  the  vine.  A  vine  whose 
branches  have  been  partly  frozen  should  be  pruned  later,  so  as 
to  distinguish  the  living  buds,  and  to  cut  off  the  shoots  above 
them. 

The  third  head  to  be  considered  is  confined  to  spring  frosts. 
They  are  very  frequent,  and  occur  in  the  south  of  France, 
as  well  as  in  the  north,  as  may  be  equally  said  of  our  own 
country  for  nearly  its  whole  extent.  There  are  some  locali- 
ties, which  from  the  quickness  or  delay  of  vegetation,  are  more 
subject  to  these  than  others,  for  a  frost  which  kills  a  shoot  that 
is  only  three  or  four  days  old,  does  no  injury  to  one  which  has 
grown  twelve  or  fifteen  days.  From  this  cause  it  arises  that 
certain  kinds  are  more  subject  than  others  to  the  effects  of 
these  frosts,  and  thence  the  necessity  of  considering  the  selec- 
tion of  the  varieties  a  primary  object  of  our  attention,  the 
great  importance  of  which  will  be  dwelt  upon  in  the  sequel. 

It  has  been  remarked,  that  of  two  neighbouring  vineyards, 
which  were  situated  as  much  as  possible  under  similar  circum- 
stances, the  one  which  had  been  in  the  spring  the  latest  worked, 
was  the  most  susceptible  of  the  attacks  of  frost.  This  fact 
would  indicate  that  after  having  terminated  the  winter  work 
previous  to  the  expansion  of  the  shoots,  no  other  work  should 
be  done  until  the  period  when  frosts  are  no  longer  to  be 
feared. 

It  has  been  noticed  that  the  shoots  of  vines  slightly  frosted, 
which  had  not  previously  had  the  sun's  rays  upon  them,  are 
not  destroyed ;  and  also  that  on  this  account  vineyards  are 


56  FROSTS. 

worse  situated  whose  exposure  faces  the  rising  than  those 
which  face  the  setting  sun.  From  this  remark  it  has  been  con- 
cluded that  in  every  case  where  by  means  of  pumps  they  could 
moisten  the  shoots  before  sun  rise,  or  by  smoke  could  inter- 
cept the  solar  rays  for  a  few  moments,  they  could  prevent  the 
effects  of  frost,  and  this  has  been  frequently  proved  by  expe- 
rience. The  difficulty  and  expense  of  doing  it  are  the  only 
preventives  to  its  more  frequent  adoption.  It  should,  however, 
be  added  for  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  wish  to  employ 
smoke,  that  it  should  be  prepared  at  the  windward  side  of  the 
vineyard,  of  litter  or  dead  leaves,  mingled  with  bushes,  fee. 
the  whole  being  made  somewhat  moist,  and  that  the  fire  should 
be  kindled  half  an  hour  before  sunrise  ;  the  important  point 
is,  that  this  mass  may  burn  without  flame,  and  cause  as  dense 
a  smoke  as  possible  over  the  vineyard. 

In  some  vineyards  the  effects  of  frost  have  been  prevented 
by  protecting  each  vine  on  the  sun  side  with  branches  of  pine 
trees,  thereby  sheltering  them  from  winds  and  the  sun's  rays. 
A  celebrated  proprietor,  in  a  season  which  was  unsuccessful 
to  neighbouring  vineyards,  secured*  by  this  course  a  crop 
double  that  of  any  of  his  neighbours,  and  of  better  quality. 
An  hundred  francs  sufficed  for  the  expense  of  protecting  by 
this  mode  five  arpents  of  vines  at  Silleri,  whose  produce  sells 
at  six  francs  the  bottle.  Since  this  practice  was  found  to  be 
successful,  it  has  been  much  extended,  and  it  is  said  in  all  cases 
with  beneficial  effect.  Branches  of  cedar,  or  of  any  other 
evergreen  trees,  would  answer  equally  well  if  those  of  pine 
were  not  easily  procured,  but  the  latter  can  scarcely  be  found 
wanting  in  any  part  of  our  country. 

In  the  department  of  Jura,  and  in  Piedmont,  the  vines  are 
laid  down  and  covered  with  earth  during  winter,  less  with  a 
view  to  guard  them  against  freezing,  than  to  retard  their  spring 
vegetation  and  to  shelter  them  from  the  late  frosts  of  that  sea- 
son. They  are  treated  in  a  similar  manner,  and  doubtless  for 
similar  reasons,  on  the  borders  of  the  Rhine,  and  in  the  envi- 
rons of  Astracan. 

The  effects  of  spring  frosts  upon  the  vines  vary  according: 


JiAlL,  WINDS,  FIRE-BLlGH'f .  57 

to  their  intensity,  and  to  the  period  when  they  take  place. 
They  frequently  diminish  and  even  annihilate  all  prospect  of 
the  year's  crop  ;  but  it  is  only  when  very  destructive  and  very 
late,  that  they  injure  those  of  after  years.  When  the  young 
shoots  perish  entirely,  those  which  replace  them  produce  little 
or  no  fruit ;  but  great  care  should  be  taken  of  them,  in  order 
that  their  abundance  of  leaves  may  repair  by  autumn  the  in- 
jury sustained  by  the  roots  in  the  spring-.  There  are  some 
vignerons  who,  from  experience,  do  not  touch  the  vines  so  situ- 
ated during  summer,  a  course  recommended  both  by  theory 
and  practice,  but  this  is  not  to  be  understood  as  forbidding  the 
pruning  of  the  shoots  frosted  in  the  spring,  an  operation  indis- 
pensably necessary  immediately  after  the  occurrence,  and  in 
doing  which  Olivier  recommends  that  the  shoots  which  are 
very  much  injured  by  the  frost  had  better  be  cut  close  to  the  old 
wood. 

Hail,  winds,  Jire-blight,  $c. 

Next  to  frost,  hail  causes  most  injury  to  the  vine.  Its  ef- 
fects are  felt  in  various  ways  :  it  tears  the  leaves,  and  prevents 
them  fulfilling  their  operations,  injures  the  young  shoots,  and 
thereby  causes  a  loss  of  sap  ;  it  breaks  the  skin  of  the  grapes, 
which,  when  they  are  yet  green,  prevents  their  growth,  and 
when  ripe,  causes  a  loss  of  the  juice.  It  is  considered  as 
generally  advisable  where  vines  are  injured  by  hail,  to  prune 
shorter  or  to  leave  fewer  branches  to  the  vine,  so  that  the 
plants  may  regain  their  strength  the  ensuing  year. 

Winds  have  also  a  great  effect  upon  the  vine ;  the  dry  east 
winds,  the  cold  north  winds*  and  the  rainy  winds  of  the  south- 
west, are  equally  injurious  at  the  several  stages  of  its  growth, 
and  particularly  so  at  the  period  of  flowering,  and  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  fruit  to  maturity.  Violent  gales  break  down 
the  poles,  tear  the  foliage,  &c.  No  rules  can  be  prescribed  on 
this  subject,  as  they  vary  according  to  climate  and  situation. 
There  are  certain  localities,  however,  which  are  more  exposed 
than  others  to  storms,  and  planting  vineyards  in  such  places 

8 


HAIL,  WINDS,  FIRE-BLIGHT. 

should  be  as  far  as  possible  avoided.  Winds  nevertheless  in 
the  spring  of  the  year  are  useful,  and  diminish  the  action  of 
frosts,  as  is  continually  exemplified  in  the  vineyards  on  hills, 
when  compared  with  those  in  vallies. 

There  are  two  attacks  the  vine  sometimes  receives  in  French 
vineyards,  which  are  termed  bridure.  loathe  first  the  leaves 
redden  suddenly,  and  fall  off  in  a  couple  of  days,  this  ope- 
rates against  the  growth  of  the  fruit,  which  becomes  shrivelled 
and  falls  off;  it  is  in  the  summer  season  after  a  fog,  and  dur- 
ing southerly  winds,  that  this  most  frequently  happens.  In  the 
second  there  are  only  some  spots,  different  in  size  and  more  or 
less  numerous,  formed  on  the  leaves,  which  injures  them,  but 
the  evil  is  seldom  of  importance,  except  the  fruit  is  attacked  in 
the  same  manner,  when  the  injury  sustained  is  very  serious. — 
The  means  pointed  out  to  prevent  these  effects,  such  as  smoke, 
&c.  are  not  always  practicable  on  a  large  scale  on  account 
of  the  expense.  In  some  vine  districts,  they  guard  against 
them  to  a  certain  degree,  by  planting  the  Vines  in  rows  run- 
ning from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun.  It  is  well  known  that 
the  rising  sun,  when  shining  on  these  ranges,  only  strikes  di- 
rectly on  those  which  commence  them,  and  that  the  dew  has 
time  to  evaporate  before  the  sun  gets  far  enough  to  the  south, 
or  is  sufficiently  high  for  its  rays  to  affect  the  residue.  Parti- 
cular consideration  in  respect  to  this  mode  of  planting  the 
vines  is  highly  recommended. 

There  are  many  attacks  of  different  characters  to  which  the 
vine  is  also  subject  in  common  with  other  trees,  &c.  but  which 
it  does  not  seem  requisite  to  discuss  here  at  length,  and  our 
intelligent  countrymen  will  know  how  to  make  use  of  the  pro- 
per discretion  in  order  to  remedy  them.  Some  of  the  most 
important,  however,  will  be  noticed  in  the  sequel  of  the 
work. 


CHOICE  OF  VARIETIES.  59 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Influence  of  the  variety — choice  of  varieties — effect  of  the 
age  of  the  vine  on  the  quality  of  its  produce,  fyc. 

•    ••         .  •.  :^y;v,v  »yv;»,  -;•   ,  v    ,,-_>,     [ 

The  influence  of  the  variety  of  the  grape  on  the  results  of 
culture  is  deemed  of  such  importance,  that  the  selection  of  the 
vines  is  one  of  the  primary  considerations  which  the  planter  is 
to  have  in  view  in  the  formation  of  his  vineyard.  Indeed  some 
intelligent  French  writers  oji  the  subject  state,  that  it  is  the 
first  point  to  which  attention  is  to  be  given.  And  notwith- 
standing the  great  effect  of  soil  on  the  wine,  some  very  emi- 
nent authors  contend  that  the  variety  of  the  grape  has  far 
more,  and  mention,  as  evidence,  that  many  varieties  of  the 
grape  have  so  peculiar  and  decided  a  flavour,  that  it  cannot 
fail  to  he  imparted  to  the  wine  which  is  made  from  them. 

It  is  with  the  selection  of  varieties  for  a  vineyard  as  with 
trees  for  an  orchard ;  if  a  man  who  plants  an  orchard  uses 
from  economy,  or  other  motives,  only  natural  stocks,  or  trees 
ingrafted  with  inferior  and  common  kinds,  he  can  succeed  in 
forming  an  orchard,  it  is  true  ;  but  he  discovers  after  it  has 
come  into  bearing,  that  it  is  absolutely  valueless  from  the  worth- 
lessness  of  its  produce,  and  he  is  either  under  the  necessity  of 
regrafting  it  .anew,  and  waiting  another  long  period  for  it  to 
attain  a  second  time  to  bearing,  or  has  totally  to  eradicate  the 
miserable  stocks,  and  replant  it  with  such  kinds  as  are  really 
valuable.  Perhaps  of  all  the  false  attempts  at  true  economy, 
that  of  planting  an  orchard  or  vineyard  with  inferior  fruits,  or 
unsuitable  varieties,  is  the  most  weak  in  itself,  and  the  most  in- 
jurious to  him  who  pursues  it. 

It  is  well  known  that  there  exist  in  the  vineyards  of  France 
and  other  countries,  an  immense  number  of  varieties  of  the 
grape,  some  earlier,  some  later ;  some  with  smaller,  and  others 
with  larger  fruit ;  more  or  less  sweet ;  with  larger  or  smaller 
bunches;  some  with  purple  berries;  others  with  red,  white, 


60  CHOICE  OF  VARIETIES. 

gray,  yellow,  or  greenish  berries.  These  varieties  produce 
not  only  in  the  same  climate,  soil,  and  exposure,  and  with  the 
same  mode  of  culture,  wines  differing  in  character,  but  even 
the  wine  of  each  respective  variety  sometimes  varies  with  dif- 
ferent circumstances. 

There  is  no  vigneron  who  is  not  aware  that  a  certain  variety 
of  grape  in  his  vineyard  yields  the  best  flavoured  wine,  the 
best  wine  for  keeping,  or  a  greater  quantity,  &c. ;  but  he  is  fre- 
quently at  the  same  time  ignorant  that  there  are  in  other  districts, 
often  very  near  him,  varieties  with  which  he  is  unacquainted, 
some  of  which  are  preferable  in  certain  respects  to  his  own.  On 
this  account  there  have  been  intelligent  men,  who  after  many 
years  residence  in  different  vineyards,  have  discovered  the 
necessity  of  making  known  these  choice  varieties,  and  for  near- 
ly half  a  century,  the  French  writers  who  have  treated  on  the 
culture  of  the  vine,  and  on  the  art  of  making  wine,  have  con- 
tinually solicited  the  publication  of  a  work  which  would  pro- 
perly arrange  the  nomenclature,  and  the  absolute  and  com- 
parative value  of  the  respective  kinds. 

The  ancients  were  sensible  of  the  inconveniences  of  planting 
a  great  number  of  varieties  together,  especially  late  kinds  with 
early  ones,  as  affecting  the  quality  of  the  wine;  but  they  con- 
sidered, with  reason,  that  it  was  prudent  to  plant,  in  separate 
divisions,  three  or  four  varieties  of  the  best  quality  and  of  dif- 
ferent colours;  because,  on  the  one  hand,  if  one  variety  failed, 
the  others  would  probably  succeed;  and  on  the  other,  they 
might,  by  mixing  them,  obtaia  wine  of  good  character  and 
good  keeping,  they  therefore  recommended  visiting  the  vine- 
yards at  the  period  when  the  grapes  are  mature,  in  order  to 
mark  such  vines  as  are  valueless,  and  which  ought  to  be 
dug  up  in  the  ensuing  winter. 

This  is  the  course  pursued  by  the  proprietors  who  are 
anxious  of  preserving  the  celebrity  of  their  wines,  a  celebrity 
which  vignerons,  when  they  are  not  partners  in  the  crops, 
incline  to  diminish,  because  in  their  endeavours  to  increase  the 
quantity  produced,  they  plant  kinds  which  yield  the  most 
bunches  and  largest  fruit,  but  which  generally  afford  in  north- 


CHOICE  OF  VARIETIES.  01 

ern  climates  quite  inferior  wines.    It  is  the  course  last  referred 
to  that  forms  the  true  cause  of  the  deterioration  of  vineyards. 

Who  is  there  can  doubt  that  the  saccharine  principle  is  per- 
fected in  proportion  to  the  maturity  of  the  grape,  and  who 
therefore  can  deny  the  advantage  of  a  selection  for  northern 
climates,  of  those  which  ripen  earliest  f  The  early  varieties 
having  a  greater  chance  of  arriving  at  maturity  in  cold  coun- 
tries than  later  ones,  they  should  therefore^be  preferred  for  such 
locations.  Who  can  deny,  when  the  expenses  of  culture  are 
the  same  for  those  which  yield  but  little  as  for  those  that  yield 
abundantly,  that  we  may  easily  increase  the  product  of  a  vine- 
yard by  a  selection  only  of  the  best. 

Much  difference  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  number  of  varie- 
ties which  it  is  advisable  to  unite  in  a  vineyard ;  but  all  agree 
on  this  point,  that  they  should  comprise  such  only  as  ripen  at 
the  same  time;  and  where  the  vineyard  contains  many  varieties, 
and  the  wines  are  inferior  in  sweetness  or  flavour,-  it  is  recom- 
mended to  diminish  the  number  of  vines  which  give  it  that 
character,  which  is  deemed  far  preferable  to  adding  sugar  or 
honey  in  their  composition.  For  it  is  well  known  that  some 
varieties  are  more  saccharine,  others  more  prolific,  &tc.  and 
that  consequently  a  proportionate  mixture  of  particular  kinds 
is  requisite  to  produce  wines  of  good  quality. 

The  influence  of  the  variety  upon  the  quality  of  the  wine  is 
not  of  recent  discovery,  but  is  stated  by  Cato,  Celsus,  and 
Columella  among  the  Romans,  and  Olivier  de  Serres  among 
the  moderns,  who  place  a  judicious  selection  in  the  first  rank 
of  considerations  demanding  attention  from  those  who  plant 
the  vine.  This  influence  acts  directly  or  indirectly :  directly, 
when  a  variety  at  maturity  has  or  has  not  by  its  own  nature  a 
quantity  of  saccharine  matter ;  indirectly,  when  ripening  be- 
fore or  after  the  diminution  of  the  summer  heat,  it  can  acquire 
or  not  the  quantum  of  saccharine  matter  in  this  or  that  climate. 

From  this  cause  the  pineau  of  Burgundy,  and  all  other 
true  varieties  of  the  pineau,  and  the  morillon  hatif  de  Jura, 
among  the  black;  the  fie-vert  of  Jura  and  the  melier  of  Paris, 
among  the  white ;  yield  every  where  goqd  wine — whereas  the 


CHOICE  OF  VARIETIES, 

meunier,  the  garnet  of  Burgundy,  the  saumoireau  or  gouais  of 
Aube,  produce  every  where  bad  wine  ;  and  the  terret  of  Gard, 
the  aspirant  of  Herault,  the  bouteillant  of  Bouches-du-Rhone, 
among  the  reds ;  and  the  broumesque  of  Aude,  and  bon*bou- 
lenque  of  Vaucluse,  among  the  whites;  which  afford  good 
wines  in  those  departments,  yield  only  miserable  ones  in  the 
vicinity  of  Paris,  for  want  of  sun  to  acquire  suitable  maturity. 

Unfortunately  a  great  number  of  vignerons  strive  to  obtain 
quantity  rather  than  quality ;  in  which  case  they  select,  of  the 
reds,  the  carignan  of  Herault,  the  chaliane  of  Drome,  the 
feldlinger  of  Bas-Rhin,  the  merveillat  of  Vaucluse,  the  pique- 
poule  of  the  upper  Garonne  ;  and  of  the  whites,  the  clairette 
of  Vaucluse,  the  courtanet  and  the  semillon  of  Lot  and  Ga- 
ronne, the  lourdaut  of  Drome,  the  melon  of  Cote-d'or,  the 
sauvignon  of  Jura,  all  of  which  are  good  varieties;  or  of  the  reds, 
the  croc-noir  of  Mayenne,  the  raisin-rouge  of  Cantal,  the  mou- 
tardier  of  Vaucluse  ;  and  of  the  white,  the  rochelle  of  Seine- 
and-Marne,  the  piquant-paul  of  Basses-alpes,  the  saint-pierre 
of  Charente-inferieure,  the  vicane  of  the  same  department ;  all 
of  which  varieties  produce  weak  wines. 

The  garnet,  notwithstanding  the  inferiority  of  its  wine,  has 
been  preferred  by  the  French  vignerons,  because  it  yields  crops 
often  tenfold,  and  on  account  of  its  forming  new  clusters 
when  the  first  are  injured  by  frost,  and  also  because  it  succeeds 
in  every  soil  and  exposure.  It  was  this  variety  that  by  an  or- 
dinance of  Philip  the  Bold  was  torn  up  in  the  vineyards  of 
JBurgundy  in  1395,  and  which  again  in  1731,  as  well  as  the 
melon,  was  destroyed  in  the  vineyards  of  Franche-Comte,  by 
an  order  from  the 'parliament  of  that  province,  but  which,  not- 
withstanding, unfortunately  (say  French  writers)  is  widely 
cultivated  in  the  north-east  of  France. 

It  seems  to  be  understood  that  grapes  with  thin  skins  afford 
the  best  wines,  but  although  that  may  be  generally  the  case  in 
the  north,  witness  the  pineau,  I  <Jo  not  think  that  inlhe  southern 
districts  those  with  thick  skinis  should  be  rejected.  The  dif- 
ference in  the  varieties  of  vines  in  relation  ta  the  climate 
ought  to  be  taken  into  serious  consideration,  especially  when 


CHOICE  OP  VARIETIES,  63 

they  are  transported  from  the  south  to  the  north,  for  the  majo- 
rity not  finding  in  the  latter  climate  the  degree  of  warmth  re- 
quisite for  maturing  their  fruit,  cannot  yield  those  superior 
high  flavoured  wines,  for  which  they  are  so  valued  at  the 
south.  Proofs  of  this  were  afforded  at  the  garden  of  the 
Luxembourg,  where  the  vines  of  the  south  were  remarkable 
for  the  vigour  of  their  growth,  and  the  size  of  their  berries 
and  clusters,  and  also  for  the  small  degree  of  flavour  possessed 
by  their  juice. 

Many  varieties  of  grapes  require  a  more  fertile  soil  than 
others,  from  their  being  of  a  more  vigorous  growth,  and  con- 
sequently requiring  a  greater  portion  of  the  nutritive  principle 
to  support  them.  This  is  more  particularly  the  case  in  the 
southern  varieties,  which,  as  I  have  stated,  are  most  vigorous 
and  strong  in  every  respect  than  those  of  the  north,  often  pro- 
ducing an  immense  number  of  clusters,  in  some  cases  weighing 
several  pounds  each,  with  berries  an  inch  in  size.  The  pulsare 
of  Jura  may  be  cited  as  proof  on  this  point,  because  it  forms 
the  basis  of  the  good  red  wines  of  Salins,  Arbois,  and  of 
Lons-de-Saulnier,  and  grows  better  in  a  clay  soil  than  in  any 
other,  producing  large  berries,  and  numerous  arid  well  filled 
bunches.  This  vine,  so  justly  esteemed  in  the  vineyards  of 
Jura,  will  even  succeed  on  wet  clay  soils.  There  are  some 
other  considerations  in  relation  to  this  subject  which  should 
not  be  lost  sight  of,  such  as  the  age  to  which  each  variety  of 
grape  will  remain  in  a  productive  state,  &c.  but  these  I  leave 
to  the  reflection  and  decision  of  others,  and  to  further  experi- 
ence. 

But  as  ail  plants  indifferently  do  not  flourish  in  the  same 
soil,  a  selection  should  be  made  of  such  varieties  as  are  best 
calculated  to  succeed  in  the  situation  in  which  they  are  to  be 
planted.  It  has  been  sometimes  noticed  that  when  a  very 
vigorous  variety  is  planted  too  near  a  feeble  one,  the  former 
absorbs  all  the  nourishment  from  the  other,  and  often  causes 
a  blight  of  its  blossoms,  (coulure)  and  in  some  cases  even 
causes  its  death. 


04  EFFECT  OF  THE  AGE  OF  THE  VINE 

In  the  vineyard  of  Epernay  there  are  two  sub-varieties  of 
the  pineau,  one  of  which  is  regularly  barren  when  the  other 
is  overloaded  with  fruit. 

It  has  been  already  stated  that  it  is  considered  by  the  best 
writers  an  injury  to  have  too  many  varieties  in  the  same  vine- 
yard, for  it  is  a  fact  as  well  in  the  vineyards  of  the  south  as  in 
those  of  the  north  of  France,  that  those  which  comprise  the 
least  number  of  varieties  produce  the  best  wines,  although 
some  persons  advocate  a  contrary  doctrine.  The  sweetness 
of  a  grape  is  not  always  an  indication  of  a  good  wine  grape, 
for  the  chasselas  does  not  make  good  wine,  whereas  grapes  of 
a  harsh  taste  make  excellent  wine.  On  this  subject,  however, 
I  will  enter  more  into  detail  hereafter. 

Effect  of  the  age  of  the  vine  on  the  product. 

The  influence  of  age,  which  has  been  remarked  in  regard 
to  other  fruits  to  have  the  effect  of  rendering  them  smaller  and 
less  numerous,  but  more  sweet,  is  also  extremely  powerful  as 
relates  to  the  vine,  of  which  there  exist  thousands  of  proofs. 
It  is  to  this  influence  that  they  attribute  in  Burgundy  the  su- 
perior quality  of  their  finest  vineyard  of  Clos  de  Vougost, 
and  it  is  to  this  also  that  is  to  be  attributed  the  well  known 
difference  which  exists  between  the  wines  of  Migraine  near 
Auxerre,  Closet  near  Epernay,  and  the  remainder  of  those 
vineyards  ;  and  indeed,  facts  of  this  kind  are  cited  in  almost 
every  vine  district. 

The  increase  in  the  vigour  and  abundance  of  sap,  which  is 
so  perceptible  in  young  vineyards  formed  by  scions  from  these 
aged  vines,  together  with  their  consequent  increase  in  pro- 
duce, proves  that  the  age  to  which  these  old  vines  have  en- 
dured is  attended  with  no  exhaustion  of  the  variety.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  fact  that  the  oldest  varieties  in  the  Burgundy 
vineyards  are  selected  as  the  basis  of  those  of  Champagne, 
and  of  many  vineyards  in  the  department  of  Haut-Rhin  and 
other  districts  of  France,  affords  proof  conclusive  that  nature 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  (55 

is  competent  to  the  continued  fertility  of  any  of  her  produc- 
tions, where  they  have  a  suitable  soil  and  appropriate  culture, 
to  a  period  ad  infinitum. 

In  conclusion,  however,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  in  southern 
latitudes,  where  the  climate  is  sufficiently  warm  to  mature 
every  variety,  it  is  not  necessary  to  make  the  selection  of  vines 
with  a  particular  regard  to  early  maturity,  and  therefore  in 
such  localities  the  soil  may  justly  be  made  the  primary  consi- 
deration ;  but  in  climates  farther  to  the  north,  or  in  other  re- 
spects inappropriate,  the  selection  of  the  variety  must  neces- 
sarily occupy  the  first  point  for  our  consideration,  and  is  that 
on  which  the  entire  success  depends. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Nomenclature  of  grapes. 

Distinctions  of  the  varieties  of  the  vine  have  long  been 
obscure  and  empiric,  and  there  yet  exists  a  multitude  of  kinds 
in  regard  to  which  no  general  points  of  agreement  have  been 
established,  or  terms  and  characters  agreed  on  as  permanent 
expressions  by  which  they  may  be  universally  designated  and 
recognised. 

The  names  given  by  the  Romans  to  their  vines  differ  so 
much  from  those  of  modern  date,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
recognise  them,  and  to  realize  their  identity  with  those  of  the 
present  day,  and  a  few  instances  only  exist  where  they  can  be 
distinctly  identified,  or  where  the  titles  have  remained  un- 
changed. Virgil  has  given  us  the  names  of  some  of  the  kinds 
most  celebrated  in  his  time,  and  Pliny  is  quite  copious  on  the 
subject,  but  even  his  list  is  far  from  being  perfect.  • 

Columella,  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  distinguished 
Latin  natural  philosophers,  particularizes  (De  re  rustica,  lib. 
iii.  cap.  2.)  fifty-eight  varieties  of  the  vine.  Crescenzio,  the 

9 


66 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


restorer  of  Italian  agriculture,  enumerates  forty  varieties  which 
were  peculiar  to  the  peninsula  in  the  third  century. — (Opulus 
Ruralium^  commodorum,  lib.  iv.  cap.  3  and  4.)  Alonzo  de 
Herrara  distinguished  important  differences  in  fifteen  of  the 
principal  Spanish  varieties. — (Agricultura  Generalis,  lib.  iii. 
cap.  2.) 

Lestiniin  his  travels  in  Asia  gives  the  names  of  twenty-one 
varieties  of  grapes  cultivated  at  Cyzique,  which  proves  that 
they  knew  how  to  distinguish  them  in  Asia  Minor  as  they  do 
in  France. 

Tusser,  in  1560,  mentions,  only  "  white  and  red,"  grapes. 
Parkinson,  who  was  more  of  a  horticulturist,  gives  in  1629  a 
list  of  twenty-three  sorts,  including  the  white  muscadine,  and 
several  others  now  common  in  our  gardens.  Ray,  in  1688. 
enumerates  thirteen  sorts,  as  then  most  in  request.  Rea,  in 
1702,  gives  most  of  those  in  Ray's  lists,  and  adds  five  more 
kinds,  recommending  the  red,  white,  and  the  D'Arbois  or 
royal  muscadine,  two  frontignac  varieties,  and  the  blood  red, 
as  best  suited  for  the  climate  of  England.  Bradley,  in  1 724, 
gives  a  list  of  forty-nine  varieties,  as  then  most  esteemed  in 
France,  but  does  not  attempt  to  reconcile  their  identity  with 
the  names  in  English  catalogues.  Miller  describes  fifty-two 
varieties^  and  adds  the  names  of  about  a  dozen  more.— 
Speechly  enumerates  in  detail  fifty  varieties,  and  gives  a  list, 
with  short  descriptions,  of  about  twenty  others,  but  many  of 
these  are  synonymous.  Forsyth,  in  his  last  and  much  im- 
proved edition,  describes  fifty-five  varieties,  and  gives  the 
names  of  twenty-eight  more,  but  even  with  the  increased  cir- 
cumspection of  that  author,  he  has  placed  a  number  under 
different  names  which  are  identically  the  same  fruit.  Mr. 
London  in  his  "  descriptive  catalogue,"  enumerates  fifty-six 
varieties,  and  states  that  he  could  have  extended  the  list  to 
triple  that  number,  but  unattended  with  sufficient  descriptive 
particulars  to  render  it  of  real  use.  The  four  last  named  au- 
thors of  course  refer  to  grapes  cultivated  in  Britain. 

In  the  last  edition  of  the  celebrated  work  of  Duhammel  du 
Monceau,  entitled,  "  Traite  des  Arbres  fruitiers,  Art.  Vigne,5' 


.NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES,  67 

we  find  ninety-one  varieties  exactly  described  by  name,  and 
partial  details  touching  a  number  of  others. 

In  the  catalogue  published  by  the  London  Horticultural 
Society,  they  enumerate  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  varieties 
or  different  names,  principally  those  known  in  British  col- 
lections, and  not  including  the  French  wine  grapes  to  any 
extent ;  they  mention  in  addition  eight  varieties  of  American 
grapes.  That  society  has  as  yet  favoured  us  with  no  descrip- 
tive catalogue  of  their  several  merits,  or  with  a  final  arrange- 
ment of  their  synonymes. 

On  this,  therefore,  as  on  numerous  other  subjects,  we  must 
turn  to  France  for  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  its  details. 
There  we  find  that  many  years  since,  the  wisest  maxims  which 
time  and  experience  had  approved,  were  consolidated  in  the 
works  of  the  celebrated  Rozier,  on  the  culture  of  the  vine  and 
the  art  of  making  wine.  The  labours  of  Dussieux  and  Lata- 
pie  aided  to  render  the  knowledge  of  the  subject  more  com- 
plete, and  each  contributed  his  portion  to  the  perfection  of 
that  culture  which  has  enriched  for  centuries  the  domains  of 
France. 

Much,  however,  as  Rozier  and  Latapie  had  laboured  for 
the  attainment  of  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  different  varie- 
ties of  the  grape,  it  was  destined  for  the  celebrated  Chaptal, 
minister  of  the  interior,  to  form  a  collection,  by  the  aid  of  the 
French  government,  which    should  rival   all   others.      This 
famed  chemist,  during  the  consulship  in  1801,  obtained  from 
every  district  of  France  all  the  known  varieties,  which  were 
by  his  order  concentrated  in   the  Luxembourg  garden,  the 
object  being  to  assemble  the  various  kinds  in  one  spot,  in  order 
to  ascertain  their  qualities  undei  the  same  circumstances,  and 
to  compare  them  at  the  same  time.     This  labour,  so  arduous 
and  so  interesting,  was  continued  by  M.  Champagny,  his  suc- 
cessor, aided  by  members  of  the  Institute,  who  examined  some 
thousands  of  plants,  and  described  five  hundred  and  fifty  vari- 
eties, one  hundred  of  which  were  figured  by  Redoute.     From 
accurate  observation  of  this  immense  variety  of  vines,  the  fol- 
lowing conclusions  have  been  definitely  formed  : 


Oo  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

That  there  is  no  vineyard  of  any  considerable  extent  which 
possesses  varieties  peculiarly  adapted  to  itself  alone,  and  that 
some  of  these  varieties  could  be  much  more  advantageously 
cultivated  in  other  vineyards  than  those  now  found  there. 

Also,  that  there  are  kinds  which  should  be  cultivated  at 
Paris,  much  in  preference  to  those  existing  there,  and  they 
cite  among  these  six  varieties  of  muscat,  superior  in  every 
point  to  those  common  there :  one  of  which,  the  muscat- 
noir-du-Jura  is  so  early  that  it  may  be  eaten  the  middle  of 
August,  and  another,  le  muscat  de  Hongrie,  has  berries  twice 
the  size  of  the  common  red  muscat. 

It  was  also  ascertained  that  the  order  of  maturity  varied  in 
some  degree,  but  the  franc-pineau  was  found  to  be  one  of  the 
most  regular  in  this  respect.  The  morillons  of  Doubs  and  of 
Jura,  which  ripen  there  in  August,  are  recommended  for 
northern  vineyards  in  preference  to  the  meunier  and  melier, 
which  are  a  month  later. 

•  It  was  ascertained  that  under  the  name  of  garnet,  there 
were  two  varieties,  one  of  which  produced  bad  wine,  and  the 
other  excellent.  The  only  reason  for  planting  the  inferior  one 
is  on  account  of  its  abundant  produce,  but  being  much  culti- 
vated in  Burgundy,  it  tended  to  the  deterioration  of  the  wine  ; 
happily,  however,  in  the  course  of  this  investigation,  it  has 
been  ascertained  that  there  are  at  least  fifty  varieties  of  colour- 
ed grapes  not  known  in  the  environs  of  Beaune,  which  are 
twice  as  productive,  and  which  from  their  sweetness  and  fla- 
vour are  calculated  to  yield  wine  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
true  pineau. 

It  was  to  the  distinguished  and  liberal  Professor  Bosc,  that 
was  confided  the  duty  of  comparing  and  classing  the  Luxem- 
bourg collection.  The  groundwork  of  the  classification 
adopted  by  him  was  the  colour,  form,  and  size  of  the  fruit; 
the  surface,  margin,  texture,  colour,  and  position  of  the 
leaves ;  and  the  redness,  greenness,  or  variegation  of  the  foot- 
stalks. From  a  combination  of  these  eleven  characteristics  he 
formed  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  classes,  in  which  he  stated 
might  be  placed  every  possible  variety  of  the  grape.  Even 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  69 

this  highly  intelligent  professor  found  great  difficulties  in  this 
task,  arising  from  the  innumerable  varieties,  possessing  slight 
shades  of  difference  in  one  point  or  another,  with  which  the 
whole  territory  of  France  abounds. 

In  the  year  1802,  the  catalogue  of  the  Luxembourg  col- 
lection presented  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  sorts,  arranged 
under  the  following  heads  :  No.  I,  vines  with  black  oval  fruits, 
thirty-seven  sorts  ;  No.  2,  black  round  fruits,  ninety-eight 
sorts  ;  No.  3,  white  oval  fruits,  forty-four  sorts ;  No.  4,  white 
round  fruits,  seventy-three  sorts ;  No.  5,  gray  or  violet  oval 
fruits,  five  sorts  ;  No.  6,  gray  or  violet  round  fruits,  ten  sorts ; 
in  all  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  varieties,  which  was  after- 
wards increased  to  more  than  double  that  number. 

It  must  be  a  subject  of  great  regret  to  every  lover  of  hor- 
ticulture, that  this  noble  establishment  has  been  abandoned 
and  broken  up  by  the  French  government,  as  it  possessed, 
when  fostered  by  national  power,  a  degree  of  permanency 
scarcely  to  be  looked  for  in  individual  establishments. 

A  most  elaborate  descriptive  list  of  the  varieties  of  the 
grape  is  contained  in  a  Spanish  work  entitled,  "  Ensayo  sobre 
las  variedades  de  la  vid  commun,  qui  vegetan  en  Andalusia, 
&c."  by  D.  Simon  Roxas  Clemente,  librarian  to  the  Madrid 
Botanic  Garden.  This  author  founds  his  distinctions  of  vari- 
eties on  the  character  of  the  stern,  shoots,  leaves,  flowers, 
clusters,  and  berries.  He  describes  one  hundred  and  twenty 
varieties,  comprising  them  under  two  sections,  the  downy  and 
smooth-leaved. 

The  most  extensive  catalogue  of  grapes  at  present  culti- 
vated in  any  one  collection,  in  France,  contains  two  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  varieties,  all  properly  arranged  as  to  colour, 
form,  &tc.  besides  which  the  same  proprietor  has  many  which 
are  not  yet  so  regulated.  Notwithstanding,  however,  all  the 
exertions  that  have  been  made,  and  the  studious  application  of 
many  of  the  most  eminent  French  horticulturists  to  this  inte- 
resting subject,  great  uncertainty  still  exists  in  the  nomencla- 
ture of  many  varieties  of  the  grape,  and  in  their  observations 
already  made,  it  was  found  that  often  the  same  kind  was  called 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  UKAPES. 

in  different  vineyards  by  six  to  ten  names.  This  confusion  in 
the  nomenclature  they  regulated  as  far  as  their  experience  per- 
mitted, by  adopting  the  title  of  most  general  application,  and 
arranging' the  other  names  as  synonymes. 

In  my  own  observations  I  have  frequently  found  great  diffi- 
culty in  attaining  to  exactitude  in  the  synonymy,  and  in  some 
cases,  have  not  yet  been  able  to  arrive  at  satisfactory  conclu- 
sions. My  collection  of  vines,  comprising  above  four  hundred 
and  fifty  varieties,  of  which  I  will  speak  more  in  detail  in  the 
sequel  of  this  work,  under  the  head  of  American  Vineyards, 
promises  me  great  aid  in  the  attainment  of  so  desirable  an 
object,  and  each  year  will  shed  new  light  on  the  various  points 
of  interest,  which  must  be  developed  in  the  culture  of  such  an 
assemblage,  from  every  vine  country. 

I  now  propose  giving  descriptions  of  as  great  a  number  of 
varieties  of  the  grape,  as  can  be  consistently  done  at  the  pre- 
sent period.  These  descriptions  have  been  revised  as  far  as 
possible,  with  scrupulous  attention,  others,  where  my  own 
observations  did  not  suffice,  have  been  extracted  from  the  most 
noted  authors  of  the  day ;  and  although  I  neither  claim  for 
them,  nor  for  myself,  the  possession  of  infallibility,  it  can  be 
truly  said,  that  every  point  has  been  carefully  viewed,  with 
the  intent  of  increasing  the  general  stock  of  information,  on  a 
subject  of  such  great  interest  to  the  prospects  of  our  country. 

In  describing  the  varieties  of  the  grape,  I  will  commence 
with  the  foreign  ones,  which  are  all  of  the  one  species,  Vitis 
vinifera.  I  will  then  continue  by  describing  the  different 
varieties,  which  are  natives  of  our  own  country,  and  which  are 
of  several  distinct  species. 

The  foreign  grapes  may  be  properly  divided  into  and  placed 
under  distinct  heads  or  groups,  as  far  as  possible,  such  as  the 
Chasselas,  Muscat,  and  other  table  grapes ;  and  those  kinds 
which  are  generally  considered  as  wine  grapes,  and  are  only 
occasionally  and  partially  used  a&  table  fruit. 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAFE3.  1). 


CHASSELAS  GRAPES. 

The  grapes  of  this  class,  are  among  the  most  esteemed  table 
fruits  of  France,  they  are  all  of  a  round  form,  but  vary  in  the 
other  characteristics.  In  regard  to  the  white  varieties,  there 
has  been  much  difference  of  opinion,  and  I  can  truly  say,  I 
have  taken  more  pains  to  regulate  the  synonymae  of  the  Chas- 
selas  grapes,  than  of  all  others  combined,  and  with  far  less 
satisfaction  to  myself;  for  the  European  publications  contain 
such  a  heterogeneous  mass  of  contradictions,  that  no  correct 
decision  could  be  formed  from  them.  I  have  in  this,  therefore, 
as  in  similar  cases,  based  my  conclusions  on  Duhammel,  and 
one  or  two  more  principal  works  of  authority,  however  much 
others  might  differ  from  them,  and  have  thrown  my  own  ex- 
perience into  the  scale. 

WHITE,  OR  GOLDEN  CHASSELAS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  66. 

White  chasselas. 

Golden  chasselas. 

Chasselas,  \ 

Chasselas  dore,  f  n  , 

Sar.sur.Aube,  ?  J 

Bar-sur-Aube  blanc,    j 

Chasselas  blanc. 

Chasselas  croquant,  Haut-Rhin. 

Chasselas  dur. 

Chasselas  dor6  de  Fontainbleau,  Beaunier. 

D'Arbois,  or  D'Arboyce,         >  ~fT,     ,.  . 

Royal  Muscadine,  I  Of  Enghsh  autho^- 

Vitis  acinomedio,  rotundo,  cxalbojlavescente. — DUH. 

This  variety  of  the  grape  is  considered  the  chasselas,  par 
excellence,  of  the  French  collections,  and  is  more  extensively 
cultivated  there  than  any  other  variety,  which  has  caused  it  to 
receive  in  different  localities,  a  great  diversity  of  names.  The 
leaves  are  of  medium  size,  pretty  deeply  serrated,  and  bordered 
with  large,  but  not  very  acute  indentures.  The  clusters  of 
fruit  are  generally  large  and  long,  and  the  most  part  of  them 
shouldered. 


i£  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

The  berries  are  round,  varying  somewhat  in  size,  the  medium 
ones  are  about  eight  lines  in  diameter,  and  rather  less  in  height. 

The  skin  is  firm,  but  delicate,  of  a  light  green,  which  at 
perfect  maturity  takes  a  yellowish  tint,  and  on  the  sun  side 
becomes  of  an  amber  colour.  The  flesh  is  very  melting,  white, 
a  little  inclining  to  green,  with  abundant  juice,  which  is  very 
sweet  and  agreeable.  It  has  two  to  four  seeds,  which  are 
green,  marked  with  gray,  the  shoots  are  of  a  light  yellow 
colour,  and  stronger  than  those  of  many  other  vines.  This  is 
the  most  esteemed  of  all  the  grapes  cultivated  in  the  climate  of 
Paris,  ort  account  of  its  excellence  and  long  continuance.  Its 
berries  not  being  too  closely  set,  it  ripens  the  more  readily. 
An  exposition  facing  the  dawn,  the  mid-day,  or  the  setting  sun, 
are  found  equally  suitable  to  it.  At  Paris,  and  its  vicinity,  it 
is  cultivated  in  the  espalier  form,  and  the  best  mode  is  deemed 
that  of  training  two  main  branches  horizontally  in  opposite 
directions,  and  to  cause  the  fruit  to  be  produced  from  shoots 
which  spring  from  these  two  main  branches.  This  course  is 
adopted  at  Thomery,  where  immense  quantities  of  this  fruit 
are  raised  for  the  Paris  market ;  and  as  I  shall  give  the  system 
there  pursued  in  detail,  under  the  head  of  culture,  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  say  more  here  on  the  subject.  Under  the  culture 
generally  adopted  at  Thomery,  the  fruit  ripens  from  the 
fifteenth  to  the  end  of  September,  but  in  open  culture  it  is 
about  fifteen  days  later.  In  the  vicinity  of  New-York,  it  is 
mature  early  in  September,  and  the  clusters  of  fruit  may  be 
preserved  until  May. 

In  the  department  of  Aube,  in  France,  it  is  found  to  make 
very  good  wine,  but  it  does  not  keep  long.  The  wine  made 
from  it  near  Paris,  they  say  is  very  weak  and  without  body. 

It  will  be  seen  that  I  have  placed  the  chasselas  croquant 
of  Haut-Rhin,  as  a  synonyme  ;  I  however  received  it  thence  as 
a  distinct  variety,  and  it  is  so  placed  by  a  horticulturist  of 
great  intelligence,  but  who,  I  think  errs  in  this  case.  In  adopt- 
ing it  as  a  synonyme,  I  have  followed  the  Die.  d' Agriculture, 
now  deemed  a  standard  work.  In  the  new  Duhammel,  and  other 
standard  French  authors,  the  white  and  the  golden  chasselas, 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  73 

are  not  put  down  as  distinct,  and  I  have  therefore  considered 
them  as  the  same. 

Most  of  the  French  vines  which  have  been  sold  here,  as  the 
white  and  the  golden  chasselas,  have  proved  to  be  identically 
our  common  white  muscadine,  or  early  white  sweet  water. 

There  is  a  sub-variety  of  this  grape,  called  La  Blanquette, 
or  La  Donne,  common  in  the  vineyards  of  Gironde,  Dordogne, 
and  Charente,  which  is  a  good  eating  fruit,  but  the  wine  is 
similar  to  that  made  of  this.  I  have  seen  in  the  grape  houses 
at  Boston,  apparently  two  varieties,  varying  considerably  in 
the  size  of  the  fruit,  the  larger  distinguished  by  some  as  the 
royal  muscadine,  and  by  others,  considered  synonymous  with 
the  smaller  one.  It  is  possible,  that  culture  and  the  lessening 
the  number  of  bunches  made  the  difference ;  but  I  am  of  opin- 
ion that  they  are  distinct,  and  that  the  larger  is  the  kind  just 
described,  and  the  smaller  the  early  white  muscadine  ;  a  point 
which  may  be  decided  by  close  examination  of  the  foliage.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  this  is  one  of  the  very  best  grapes  for  forcing  in 
houses  to  supply  our  tables,  and  one  of  the  most  easy  to  suc- 
ceed with  by  open  culture. 

I  also  met  with  a  variety  at  Charlestown,  (Mass.)  called  by 
its  possessor  golden  chasselas,  whose  joints  were  much  closer 
than  the  common  sort,  and  which  made  less  wood ;  in  regard 
to  these  differences,  there  could  be  no  mistake,  as  the  two 
kinds  grew  near  each  other.  This,  as  well  as  the  others,  I 
have  under  culture  in  my  experimental  vineyard. 

As  this  variety  makes  but  little  wood,  it  is  therefore  diffi- 
cult to  increase ;  the  berries  are  larger  than  the  common  kind, 
of  fine  flavour  and  appearance,  and  are  stated  to  ripen  two 
weeks  before  the  other.  It  differs  also  from  the  common  sort, 
in  having  large  and  small  berries  on  the  same  cluster,  and  a 
gentleman,  distinguished  for  his  knowledge  on  the  subject,  in- 
sists that  it  is  the  true  golden  chasselas  of  the  old  French 
authors,  and  not  at  present  readily  obtained  in  France.  Indeed 
I  have  only  met  with  this  variety  in  two  gardens  in  our  country. 

Some  English  authors  mention  the  royal  muscadine,  as  pro- 
ducing bunches  weighing  six  or  seven  pounds ;  but  I  must 

10 


'  4  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

acknowledge,  that  I  have  never  seen  any  near  that  weight ;  iu 
fact,  if  the  bunches  average  one,  to  one  and  a  quarter  pounds, 
they  are  considered  of  fair  size,  and  from  one  and  a  half,  to 
two  pounds,  is  considered  large ;  and  it  takes  a  very  good 
sized  cluster  to  be  of  the  latter  weight. 

MORNAIN  BLANC,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  75, 

Meslier,  and  sometimes  Melier. 
Morna  chasselas. 
Blanc  de  Bonnelle. 
White  Mornain. 

Yitis,  uva  longiori,  acino  rufescenti  et  dulci. 

This  grape  greatly  resembles  the  white  chasselas  in  the 
bulk  and  shape  of  the  bunch  and  the  number  of  the  berries? 
which  are  very  round,  not  crowded,  and  of  a  pale  yellow 
colour.  They  become  of  a  russet  hue  on  the  sunny  side  in 
the  same  manner,  and  the  pulp  is  sweet  and  of  pleasant 
flavour.  In  fact,  it  is  called  the  chasselas  in  some  districts 
of  France.  It  is  not  subject  to  the  blight  or  coulure,  and 
is  found  profitable  to  plant  as  a  wine  grape,  particularly  in 
vineyards  for  white  wines.  It  is  also  justly  considered  a  fine 
early  table  grape,  and  ripens  well  even  in  the  north  of  France. 

Duhammel  states,  that  there  is  a  marked  difference  between 
it  and  the  chasselas,  particularly  in  the  foliage  ;  the  leaves 
are  pale  green  on  the  surface,  whitish  and  slightly  downy 
beneath,  and  are  divided  into  five  pretty  deeply  divided  lobes, 
which  are  very  crenate.  It  ripens  in  August. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  this  grape  now  exists  in  different  col- 
lections in  this  country,  and  in  a  number  in  France,  under  the 
title  of  the  true  chasselas,  and  that  it  is  from  this  cause  so 
much  confusion  exists  as  to  a  proper  arrangement  of  the  sy- 
fionymes  of  these  varieties. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES;  75* 


EARLY  WHITE  MUSCADINE.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  3, 


Early  sweet  water, 

AugiLst  sweet  water,  >  Of  American  collections; 

White  sweet  water,  j 

Chasselas  mou  ? 

Golden  chasselaS,  >  f^c 

de  FonlainUeau,,     Of  some  coll<=ctions. 


This  is  a  round  grape,  with  a  thin  skin,  and  of  a  delicate 
flavour  ;  it  is  a  great  bearer,  and  resembles  the  white  chasselas 
in  almost  every  respect,  except  that  it  ripens  much  earlier,  be- 
ing usually  in  perfection  from  the  20th  to  the  end  of  August 
in  this  vicinity,  and  in  Massachusetts  in  September.  It  is  re- 
commended as  particularly  suitable  for  the  country,  and  for  the 
more  northern  latitudes,  where,  with  attention,  it  will  be  sure 
to  yield  plentifully  and  regularly.  In  this  latitude  it  needs  no 
winter  protection,  and  is  one  of  the  most  suitable  grapes  for 
the  purpose  of  supplying  the  city  markets.  I  do  not  notice 
this  grape  distinguished  in  the  French  descriptions,  so  as  to 
be  assured  of  a  correct  application  of  the  synonymes,  and  un- 
less it  be  the  Mornain  or  Morna-chasselas  last  described,  it 
must  be  synonymous  with  some  other  of  the  varieties  of  the 
chasselas,  but  I  venture  the  supposition  that  it  is  the  same  as  the 
preceding  one.  Some  vines  imported  and  sold  among  us  un- 
der the  two  latter  titles  among  the  synonymes,  have  proved  to 
be  identically  the  same  as  our  white  muscadine. 

RED  CHASSELAS.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  68. 
Chasselas  rouge,  Duh. 

Vitis  atino  media,  rotunda  >,  rubello.  —  Duh. 

This  is  a  sub-variety  of  the  white  chasselas  :  the  bunch  is 
commonly  of  smaller  size,  composed  of  berries  which  are  not 
quite  as  large,  and  are  slightly  tinted  with  red  on  one  side  ; 
those  which  are  not  exposed  to  the  sun  often  remain  a  light 


76 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


green.     It  ripens  rather  later  than  the  white,  being  at  maturity 
about  the  20th  to  25th  of  September. 

WHITE  MUSK  CHASSELAS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  69. 

CHasselas  musqu€,  Duh. 

Vitis  acino  medio,  rotunda,  albido,  mosehaio. — Duh. 

The  leaf  of  this  is  of  less  size,  and  of  a  deeper  green  than 
that  of  the  white  chasselas  ;  it  is  also  less  deeply  lobed,  but  its 
border  is  more  acutely  indented. 

The  bunch  and  the  berries  are  nearly  of  the  same  size  as, 
the  white  variety,  and  the  latter  are  rather  more  closely  set  and 
usually  contain  two  seeds,  which  are  small  and  gray ;  the  skin 
also  much  resembles  the  white  in  its  firmness,  but  is  not  crisp 
and  crackling  like  the  Muscat ;  the  colour  of  the  berry  is  yel- 
lowish white,  and  the  pulp  is  white  approaching  to  green, 
with  abundant  juice,  which  is  sweet  and  musky.  It  ripens  at 
the  end  of  September,  and  is  considered  superior  to  both  the 
white  and  red  varieties.  If  it  is  inferior  to  the  white  muscat, 
it  has  the  advantage  of  earlier  maturity,  and  will  consequently 
succeed  where  that  will  not. 

YELLOW  CHASSELAS  OF  THOMERY,—PR.  CAT.  No.  71. 
Chasselas  de  Tomery. 

This  grape  is  round,  and  of  a  yellowish  colour  when  ripe, 
it  is  high  flavoured  and  much  esteemed  as  a  table  fruit,  and 
ripens  in  September.  Although  several  French  authors  of 
celebrity  place  this  distinct  from  the  white  chasselas,  I  will 
not  undertake  to  say  that  it  is  so,  until  I  have  more  fully 
tested  it. 

CHASSELAS  GUIS.— PIROLLE. 
Gray  cJtasselas. 

Mr.  Pirolle  mentions  having  discovered  in  the  garden  of  M. 
Deschiens  at  Versailles,  a  superb  large  fruited  variety  of  the 
chasselas,  round,  of  equal  size,  of  a  fine  gray  colour,  with  the 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  77 

berries  at  a  suitable  distance  from  each  other  on  the  clusters, 
which  are  well  formed.  The  flavour  of  the  fruit  is  very 
agreeable,  though  not  equal  to  the  Chasselas  of  Thomery. 

PURPLE  ROYAL  CHASSELAS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  72. 
Chasselas  royal. 
Chasselas  rouge  royal. 

This  is  held  in  esteem  as  a  table  grepe.  The  berries  are 
round,  of  a  dark  red  or  purplish  hue,  and  of  pleasant  flavour. 
The  whole  aspect  of  the  plant  is  peculiar  on  account  of  the 
redness  of  the  foliage,  and  the  tints  of  the  same  colour  which 
prevail  on  other  parts  of  the  vine.  There  are  several  other 
varieties  which  are  less  known,  such  as  the  violet  chasselas,  the 
black  chasselas,  and  the  chasselas  de  la  madelene  with  white 
fruit ;  of  these  I  am  not  enabled  to  give  detailed  descriptions 
at  the  present  time. 

In  some  catalogues  they  enumerate  the  chasselas  blanc 
precoce  de  Kienzheim,  as  a  distinct  variety  ;  the  chasselas- 
rose  I  consider  to  be  a  synonyme,  and  therefore  omit  it ;  the 
variegated  chasselas,  or  chasselas  panache,  will  be  found  under 
the  title  of  Aleppo  grape. 

CIOUTAT.— PR.  CAT.  No.  7. 

Ciotat,  Duh. 
Raisin  d'Autriche. 
Vigne  lasciniec. 
Parsley-leaved  chasselas. 
Parsley-leaved  muscadine. 
White  parsley-leaved  muscadine. 
Austrian  grape. 
Tardaria  grape. 

Vitis  folio  lasdniato,  acino  media,  rotundo,  albido. — Duh. 

The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  small  and  palmated,  being 
divided  into  five  principal  lobes,  each  of  which  is  finely  and 
deeply  serrated,  the  edges  being  also  indented ;  its  dissimi- 
larity in  foliage  makes  it  easily  distinguishable  from  every 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES, 

other  variety.  This  has  generally  been  considered  so  nearly 
allied  to  the  white  chasselas,  as  not  to  differ  from  it  in  its 
fruit  j.  it  nevertheless  is  very  distinct  even  in  that  particular, 
the  bunches,  although  similar  in  form,  are  much  smaller  and 
more  thinly  furnished  ;  the  berry  not  quite  as  large  nor  quite 
as  round.  The  growth  is  also  far  less  strong  and  the  pro- 
duce much  less  abundant ;  and  in  fact,  it  is  a  weaker  plant 
in  all  its  parts,  the  size  of  the  leaves  being  much  less.  The 
colour  of  the  fruit,  flavour,  and  time  of  ripening,  are  how- 
ever the  same,  although  some  consider  the  quality  rather 
inferior.  Its  period  of  maturity  is  from  the  15th  to  the  20th 
of  September.  Theie  is  a  variety  of  the  chasselas  called 
Ciotat  in  some  French  lists,  whose  leaves  are  not  divided  like 
the  above,  and  it  is  not  therefore  the  genuine  kind. 

Raisin  dfeuille  d'Ache,  Duh. 
Persillade  de  Bordeaux,  Rczier. 

Vitis  apiifolio,  acino  media,  rotunda,  rulro. — Rozier. 

This  is  a  sub-variety  of  the  preceding  differing  only  frortl 
it  in  the  red  colour  of  its  berries,  and  in  its  foliage  more 
closely  resembling  that  of  parsley.  It  is  much  more  rare  than 
the  former,  and  I  have  found  great  difficulty  in  obtaining  it. 

WHITE  SWEET  WATER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  4. 

Pareyl  druyf  of  the  Dutch. 

This  has  large  round  white  berries,  much  resembling  the 
royal  muscadine  in  appearance  and  taste,  the  skin  and  flesh 
being  delicate  and  juicy  ;  the  berries  on  the  side  of  the  bunch 
next  the  sun  are  often  clouded  with  spots  of  a  russet  colour. 
It  is  much  esteemed,  and  ripens  in  September.  I  consider 
this  as  a  variety  of  the  chasselas,  and  I  should  not  be  at  all 
surprised  if  it  should  be  identified  with  one  of  the  other  cul- 
tivated varieties,  and  probably  with  the  white  chasselas. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF 


BLACK  SWEET  WATER.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  5. 

The  bunches  of  this  variety  are  short  and  closely  set,  and 
it  has  small  roundish  berries,  which  are  sweet  and  agreeable, 
and  ripen  in  September.  I  do  not  consider  this  a  variety  of 
the  chasselas,  but  I  place  it  here  in  order  that  it  may  follow 
the  one  before  described,  it  being  generally  placed  in  connec- 
tion with  it. 


FRONTIGNAC,  AND  OTHER  MUSCAT  GRAPES, 

The  grapes  of  this  class  are  celebrated  for  their  high  musk 
flavour,  and  are  among  the  most  estimable  for  the  table.  Some 
of  the  varieties  are  used  in  particular  districts  of  France  for 
sweet  wines,  and  are  also  applied  to  a  similar  purpose  in  other 
countries,  as  will  be  pointed  out  hereafter. 

In  consequence  of  a  higher  value  being  set  on  the  varieties 
of  the  muscat  in  France,  and  they  being  also  more  rare  in  the 
collections  than  most  other  kinds,  greater  inaccuracies,  and 
more  deceptions  have  been  experienced  in  the  importation  of 
them,  than  in  those  of  any  other  class. 

The  epithet  Apiana^  given  to  some  grapes,  and  especially 
to  the  muscats,  seems  to  be  intended  more  particularly  to  desig- 
nate the  varieties  which  the  honey  bees  attack,  as  the  word 
appears  to  be  derived  from  Apes,  or  Apium,  bees. 

WHITE  FRONTIGNAC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  77. 
Muscat  blanc,  Duh. 
Muscat  blanc  de  Frontignan. 
Muscata  bianca. 

Vitis  apiana  acino  medio,  subrotundo,  albido,  moschato. — DUH. 

This  is  a  highly  esteemed  grape  for  the  table,  the  leaf  is  not 
deeply  serrated,  but  it  is  of  a  darker  green,  and  more  acutely 
dentated,  than  that  of  the  white  chasselas.  The  five  lobes 
which  divide  it  are  unequal,  the  middle  one  being  much  broader 


SO 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


than  the  others  ;  the  bunch  is  long,  narrow,  almost  conical,  and 
terminates  in  a  point ;  it  does  not  swell  out  at  the  top  like  the 
chasselas,  nor  have  shoulders  as  that  generally  does. 

The  berries,  which  are  about  the  size  of  the  chasselas,  are 
in  general  very  closely  set,  so  that  some  persons  thin  them  out 
in  order  to  advance  their  maturity  ;  their  form  is  a  little  elon- 
gated, and  rather  larger  at  the  head  than  at  the  extremity. 

The  skin  is  firm  and  crackling  ;  light  green,  with  a  slight 
bloom,  and  of  an  amber  hue  on  the  sunny  side.  The  pulp  is 
melting,  white  with  a  blueish  cast,  and  of  a  high  and  exquisite 
musk  flavour.  The  seeds  are  small,  white,  marbled  with  gray 
or  violet,  and  ordinarily  three  or  four  in  number  in  each  berry. 

Formerly,  a  great  deal  of  wine  was  made  from  it  at  Fron- 
tignan,  Rivesaltes,  and  Lunel,  but  at  present,  very  little  is 
made  at  those  places.  It  has  much  body,  and  a  decided  taste 
of  the  fruit,  with  a  fragrant  bouquet,  and  is  said  to  improve  by 
age.  That  usually  sold  in  our  wine  stores,  I  presume,  is  of  a 
secondary  quality. 

The  Parisians  complain  that  it  rarely  attains  to  perfect 
maturity  in  their  climate,  and  that  it  requires  the  jwarmth  of 
the  south  to  perfect  its  exquisite  flavour.  It  is  sufficiently  ripe 
in  the  south  of  France  about  the  first  of  August ;  and  it  is 
customary  at  the  city  of  Aix  to  make  use  of  it  on  the  sixth  of 
that  month,  at  the  metropolitan  festival,  on  the  day  of  the 
transfiguration,  when,  after  blessing  a  number  of  baskets  of 
this  fruit,  the  finest  clusters  are  selected,  and  the  juice  expres- 
sed into  the  sacred  chalice,  after  which,  the  residue  are  dis- 
tributed to  those  who  assist  in  the  ceremony. 

It  is  cultivated  considerably  in  the  grape  houses  in  the 
vicinity  of  Boston,  ripening  a  little  later  than  the  chasselas.  I 
do  not  recollect  having  there  seen  it  subjected  to  open  culture, 
but  I  saw  fruit  of  later  maturity  under  successful  management. 
In  the  vicinity  of  New-York,  it  ripens  in  September,  and  I 
consider  it  one  of  the  most  luscious  and  desirable  grapes  with 
which  our  tables  can  be  furnished. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  81 


RED  FRONTIGNAC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  78. 

Muscat  rouge,  Duh. 
Vitis  Apiana,  acino  media,  rotunda,  rubro,  moschato. — DUH. 

The  foliage  of  this  grape  has  the  same  form  as  the  preceding, 
but  is  a  little  larger,  and  the  leaf,  as  well  as  the  petiole,  be- 
comes early  tinted  with  deep  red,  approaching  to  violet ;  the 
bunch  is  elongated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  former,  though 
in  some  cases  it  is  rather  shorter,  and  also  less  furnished  with 
berries,  because  the  flower  being  more  delicate,  is  more  sub- 
ject to  blight ;  the  skin  is  firmer  than  the  preceding,  of  a  lively 
red,  almost  purple  on  the  sun  side  ;  of  a  paler  tint,  seemingly 
marbled  with  yellow  and  light  red  on  the  side  which  is  shaded; 
the  flesh  is  firm,  of  a  blueish  white,  full  of  juice,  of  a  high  and 
most  agreeable  musk  flavour,  and  most  of  the  berries  have  but 
one  seed. 

Although  this  grape  has  not  quite  as  fine  a  taste  as  the 
white,  it  is,  nevertheless,  highly  esteemed  as  a  table  fruit ; 
and  besides  being  very  good,  has  the  merit  of  attaining  to  an 
earlier  maturity,  which  in  this  latitude,  is  about  the  20th 
of  September. 

BLUE,  OR  VIOLET  FRONTIGNAC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  80. 

Muscat  violet,  Duh. 
Madere. 

Vitis  Apiana,  acino  nwgno,  oblongo,  violaceo,  moschato. — DUH. 

The  foliage  of  this  variety  differs  but  little  from  that  of  the 
white,  the  bunch  is  also  nearly  of  the  same  form,  composed  of 
berries  somewhat  elongated,  having  a  hard  skin,  of  a  pretty 
dark  violet  colour,  covered  with  a  bloom. — The  pulp  is  a  little 
greenish,  replete  with  very  pleasant  juice,  of  a  musk  flavour, 
although  perhaps  less  so  than  in  the  two  preceding  varieties. 
Each  berry  contains  two  to  three  seeds,  and  the  fruit  is  at 
maturity  in  September. 

11 


NOMENCLATURE.  OF  GRAPHS. 

EARLY  VIOLET  MUSCAT. 

Muscat  violet  prtcoce. 

Under  this  title  I  have  received  from  the  shore  of  the  Rhine, 
a  grape,  described  as  particularly  valuable,  by  the  eminent 
horticulturist  from  whom  it  was  received ;  for,  in  addition  to 
the  fine  properties  it  possesses,  in  common  with  other  muscat 
grapes,  it  has  the  advantage  of  ripening  so  much  earlier,  that 
it  matures  its  fruit  in  much  more  northern  latitudes  than  they 
are  found  to  succeed  in. 

BLACK,  OR  PURPLE  FRONTIGNAC.—PR.  CAT.  No.  79. 

Muscat  noir,  Duh. 
Muscat  negrt  of  Provence. 
Black  Constantia. 

Vitis  Apiana^  acino  medio,  sitbrolundo,  nigricante,  moschalo.-—'D\>ii. 

The  leaves  of  this  are  much  less  serrated  than  those  of  the 
other  varieties  of  muscat,  and  they  are  sometimes  so  little 
lobed  as  to  appear  almost  entire  ;  the  berries  are  round,  and 
not  so  large  as  the  blue  variety  ;  the  skin  is  black,  or  of  a 
very  dark  violet  colour,  covered  with  a  bloom  ;  the  pulp  has  a 
light  tint  of  red  under  the  skin,  and  is  full  of  juice,  which  is 
pleasant,  sweet,  and  musky.  Each  berry  generally  contains 
four  small  pointed  seeds,  that  are  reddish  on  one  side.  This 
has  long  been  considered  as  being  the  grape  from  which  Con- 
stantia wine  is  made  ;  it  is  not  equal  to  the  white  frontignac, 
but  it  ripens  much  better  in  northern  climates,  yields  a  good 
crop,  and  is  at  maturity  in  September.  I  saw  under  cultiva- 
tion in  a  grape-house  at  Boston,  a  variety  which  had  been 
obtained  direct  from  the  Cape  by  the  intelligent  proprietor,  and 
was  considered  by  him  quite  distinct  from  this.  In  the  Lon- 
don Horticultural  Society's  catalogue  the  black  Constantia  is 
not  placed  as  a  synonyme,  which  indicates  that  some  doubt 
existed  on  that  point,  which  they  will  doubtless  solve  by  after 
investigation. 


•NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  83 

GRIZZLY  FRONTIGNAC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  81. 
Muscat  gris. 

I  describe  this  grape  separately,  merely  because  some  En- 
glish authors  have  done  so,  and  in  order  to  elicit  inquiry,  and 
to  settle  the  point  of  accuracy  hereafter.  Duhammel  does 
not  enumerate  such  a  variety,  neither,  is  it  named  by  the 
standard  French  authors,  but  one  that  does  mention  it  omits 
the  muscat  rouge.  Is  it  not,  therefore,  reasonable  to  consider 
this  synonymous  with  the  red  variety,  although  Miller,  For- 
syth,  Speechly,  and  half  a  score  of  other  English  authors  con- 
tinue to  enumerate  it  ?  Speechly  describes  it  thus  :  berries 
somewhat  larger  than  the  white  frontignac,  round,  colour 
brown  and  red  intermixed  with  yellow ;  which  description 
seems  to  apply  to  the  red  variety  when  ripened  in  a  shady  situ- 
ation. A  very  intelligent  horticulturist  at  Boston  told  me  he 
had  vainly  endeavoured  to  distinguish  any  difference.  It  is  at 
maturity  in  September. 

WHITE  MUSCAT  OF  ALEXANDRIA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  82, 

Muscat  d*  Alexandrie,  Duh. 
Muscat  dj Alexandrie  blanc. 
Passe-longue  musquee. 
Passe  musqute. 
Passe  musquee  blanc. 
Muscat  d'Espagne. 
Pause  musqute  blanc. 
Muscat  de  Panse  of  Provence. 
Alexandrian  frontignac. 
White  muscat  of  Jerusalem. 

Vitis  Apiana,  acino  maxima,  ovato, e  mridiJlavescente^moschatoJilex- 
andrina. — DUH. 

The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  more  deeply  serrated  than 
those  of  other  muscats,  and  they  are  bordered  with  smaller 
and  more  pointed  indentures,  the  bunch  is  very  large,  very 


84 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


long  and  irregular,  composed  of  fine  large  oval  berries,  which 
are  rather  larger  at  the  summit  than  the  base,  and  about  an 
inch  in  length  ;  they  hang  loosely  on  the  cluster,  and  present 
a  beautiful  appearance.  The  skin  is  firm,  of  a  light  green  on 
the  shade  side,  and  of  a  slight  amber  hue  on  the  sunny  side, 
when  at  complete  maturity.  The  flesh  is  firm  and  crisp,  re- 
plete with  musky  and  perfumed  juice,  which  is  excellent  when 
the  fruit  is  perfectly  ripe  ;  each  berry  contains  one  or  two  very 
small  seeds.  Duhammel  puts  the  Malaga  as  a  synonyme,  but 
the  grape  best  known  to  us  by  the  latter  name,  is  widely  dif- 
ferent :  the  same  author  puts  the  Muscat  d'Espagne  as  syno- 
nymous. 

This  grape  seldom  ripens  in  the  latitude  of  Paris,  unless  in 
very  hot  seasons,  and  only  when  cultivated  as  an  espalier  in  a 
southern  exposure  ;  but  in  southern  France  it  is  deemed  among 
the  most  exquisite  fruits.  It  has  the  advantages  of  keeping  a 
long  time,  and  of  making  excellent  preserves. 

I  scarcely  think  we  can  calculate  with  any  certainty  on 
crops  of  this  grape  in  the  vicinity  of  New-York  and  north  of 
it  by  open  culture,  unless  the  situations  selected  are  peculiarly 
favourable,  as  the  season  is  scarcely  long  enough.  Some 
distance  to  the  south,  however,  it  will  be  sure  to  succeed.  It 
is  one  of  the  favourite  varieties  planted  in  grape  houses  in 
England,  and  also  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  where  I  have 
met  with  it  in  high  perfection. 

VIOLET  MUSCAT  OF  ALEXANDRIA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  84. 

Muscat  d' Alexandria  violet. 

Although  a  grape  is  mentioned  by  some  authors  under  this 
name,  I  do  not  find  it  described  by  any  that  has  come  within 
my  notice ;  I  however  have  a  grape  to  which  I  think  this  title 
will  justly  apply ;  the  fruit  is  a  long  oval  of  rather  large  size, 
violet  colour,  and  very  high  mu?k  flavour,  and  powdered  with 
a  fine  bloom.  It  is  very  delicious,  matures  its  fruit  perfectly  in 
my  garden  during  the  month  of  September,  and  I  consider  it 
one  of  the  best  table  grapes. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


85 


BLACK  MUSCAT  OF  ALEXANDRIA.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  83. 

Red  Muscat  of  Alexandria. 
Red  Muscat  of  Jerusalem  ? 
New  muscat  of  Jerusalem,  Forsyth. 

0{  French 


This  grape  is  described  by  Forsyth  as  resembling  the  white 
except  in  its  colour.  It  is  not  enumerated  by  Duhammel  or 
Chaptal  under  any  title  by  which  it  can  be  readily  recognised, 
but  I  have  doubtingly  put  down  the  Malaga-du-Lot  of  some 
French  authors  and  of  the  Luxembourg  collection  as  a  sy- 
nonyme,  and  I  doubt  not  all  the  English  titles  quoted  apply  to  the 
same  fruit,  although  they  are  described  as  distinct. 

The  bunches  ripen  in  October,  and  it  is  therefore  too  late 
a  kind  for  this  latitude,  but  will  succeed  south  of  the  Poto- 
mac. There  is  a  variety  of  grape  called  in  some  French  lists 
Muscatelle-du-Lot,  which  may  possibly  be  the  same  as  this. 
It  is  stated  in  Miller  that  the  black  muscadel  contains  berries 
of  different  sizes  on  the  same  bunch  ;  some  of  the  berries  are 
large  and  long,  and  they  are  somewhat  flat  and  compressed 
at  the  ends.  It  is  also  there  mentioned  that  the  leaves  change 
to  a  beautiful  scarlet  in  autumn. 

WHITE  MUSCAT  OF  LUNEL.—PR.  CAT.  No.  86. 

Muscat  de  Lunel. 
Lunel. 

The  vicinity  of  Lunel  formerly  produced  a  considerable 
quantity  of  muscat  wine,  and  the  celebrity  of  this  grape  is 
doubtless  attributable  to  that  circumstance.  It  is  not  enume- 
rated by  Duhummel  and  other  distinguished  authors  as  speci- 
fically distinct  from  the  other  varieties,  and  I  therefore  doubt 
its  being  other  than  a  synonyme.  I  received  the  vines  now  grow- 
ing in  my  vineyard  from  the  vicinity  of  Lunel,  and  shall  be 


BQ  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

speedily  able  to  decide  the  point  myself.  English  authors 
describe  it  as  distinct,  and  state  that  it  has  large  oval  berries 
of  an  amber  colour  sometimes  clouded  with  russet,  with  deli- 
cate flesh,  and  full  of  vinous  juice,  that  it  bears  well,  is 
highly  esteemed,  and  forms  pretty  large  bunches. 

MUSCAT  D'ESPAGNE. 

This  variety,  which  Duhammel  puts  down  as  a  synonyme  of 
the  white  muscat  of  Alexandria,  is  enumerated  in  some  French 
lists  as  a  distinct  variety.  I  have  it  under  culture,  but  I  have 
not  yet  sufficiently  tested  its  merits  to  give  an  opinion  in  re- 
gard to  them,  nor  to  prove  it  to  be  other  than  a  synonyme. 
In  addition  to  those  already  described,  the  following  varieties 
are  enumerated  in  French  publications — Muscat  hatif,  muscat 
blanc-variete,  muscat  gris  hatif,  and  muscat  panacho,  which 
are  considered  as  distinct  varieties,  and  which  I  have  conse- 
quently imported,  and  now  have  growing  in  my  vineyard, 

WHITE  MALAGA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  85. 
White  Muscadel  ? 

The  variety  which  is  largely  imported  in  jar£  under  this 
title,  is  different  from  the  white  muscat  of  Alexandria,  parti- 
cularly in  flavour.  The  berries  are  very  large  and  oval,  skin 
thick,  flesh  firm,  and  very  pleasantly  flavoured  ;  the  bunches 
grow  very  large.  It  does  not  ripen  until  October  in  this  lati- 
tude, and  is  therefore  not  suitable  for  open  culture  except  fur- 
ther south. 

I  however  saw  this  grape  growing  under  open  culture  the  past 
season  in  the  garden  of  Zebedee  Cook,  Esq.  near  Boston,  with 
a  far  greater  appearance  of  attaining  to  perfect  maturity  than 
I  ever  before  witnessed  in  so  northern  a  latitude,  and  I  am 
told  one  bunch  actually  matured  its  fruit.  This  success  was 
no  doubt  attributable  to  the  excellent  management  and  great 
intelligence  which  were  developed  in  the  culture  of  the  dif- 
ferent representatives  of  the  horticultural  family  which  partook 
of  his  fostering  care.  In  his  garden  I  saw  also  a  round-ber- 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  87 

ried   variety  he  had   received  from   Malaga  with  the  fore- 
going. 

RED  MALAGA. 

Red  Mascadel.—Pn.  CAT.  No.  90. 
Red  Smyrna. 

Of  this  variety  we  have  latterly  had  considerable  importa- 
tions from  the  Mediterranean  in  a  fresh  state,  packed  in  jars. 
The  vines  are  also  cultivated  in  our  collections,  but  in  this  vi- 
cinity the  fruit  can  very  rarely  attain  to  maturity,  as  the  period 
of  ripening  is  not  until  October ;  the  berries  are  exceedingly 
large,  of  along  oval  form,  the  skin  thick,  flesh  solid,  the  taste 
and  flavour  sweet  arid  pleasant;  the  foliage  is  particularly 
marked,  with  reddish  veins  and  tints.  This  is  considered  by 
some  persons  to  be  the  same  as  the  red  muscat  of  Alexandria, 
but  as  it  has  not  a  high  musk  flavour,  I  doubt  the  accuracy 
of  that  supposition.  I  think  it  is  probably,  however,  the  same 
as  the  red  muscadel  and  raisin  grapes  of  the  English  authors, 
and  the  red  Smyrna  grape  described  by  them  is  also  no  doubt 
the  same  fruit. 

Speechly  says  the  berries  of  the  red  muscadel  are  large, 
oval,  and  of  a  beautiful  red  colour,  and  the  skin  thick  and 
flesh  hard,  similar  to  the  raisin  grape.  He  also  states  that 
the  bunches  often  weigh  six  or  seven  pounds,  and  are  most 
elegantly  formed  of  berries  of  an  equal  size,  and  that  the 
leaves  change  in  autumn  to  beautiful  red  and  green  shades. 
This  description  agrees  with  my  own  observations,  except  that 
I  have  not  seen  bunches  weighing  over  three  to  three  and  a 
half  pounds. 

MUSCADEL. 

Under  this  head  are  described  by  English  authors  three  dis- 
tinct varieties,  the  white,  red,  and  black.  I  consequently  im- 
ported them,  and  have  them  now  under  culture  in  my  collec- 
tion ;  but  believing  that  they  will  prove  to  be  synonymous  with 


88 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


others  described,  I  have  withheld  distinct  descriptions  of  them, 
and  have  placed  them  as  synonymes  where  I  think  they  belong ; 
the  descriptions  given  of  them  by  English  authors  are  ex- 
ceedingly indefinite. 

WHITE  RAISIN  GRAPE.— LANGLEY  POM. 

This,  and  the  red  raisin  grape  of  English  authors,  doubt- 
less refer  to  the  varieties  of  the  Malaga  grape  used  in  making 
raisins,  and  are  very  probably  synonymous  with  two  of  the 
varieties  under  the  preceding  head  ;  for  to  all  reasonable 
intents,  the  titles  of  Malaga,  Muscadel,  and  Raisin  grape, 
refer  to  the  same  fruit,  and  probably  are  so  ;  the  black  raisin 
grape  appears,  however,  to  refer  to  a  different  variety. 

AUGIBERT  NOIR. 

Black  raisin,  Loudon. 

Mr.  Loudon  places  the  black  raisin  grape  described  by 
Forsyth,  as  synonymous  with  the  augibert  noir,  and  as  that 
author  is  celebrated  for  the  accuracy  of  his  descriptions,  it  may 
justly  be  deemed  to  be  correct.  The  augibert  noir  I  have  in 
my  collection,  it  is  a  dark  coloured  oval  grape. 

Mr.  L.  mentions  that  it  is  large  and  has  a  thick  skin. — 
Forsyth  states,  that  the  black  raisin  grape  has  large  black  oval 
berries,  and  that  the  flesh  is  firm — and  Speechly  gives  it  the 
same  characteristics  as  the  two  authors  previously  referred  to, 
and  adds,  that  it  forms  long  handsome  bunches.  I  do  not 
consider  it  a  grape  calculated  to  succeed  north  of  the  Potomac. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

TABLE  GRAPES  OF  DIFFERENT  COUNTRIES. 

The  following  are  celebrated  table  grapes  cultivated  in 
England,  France,  our  own  country,  and  elsewhere,  the  quali- 
ties of  which  are  so  various,  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  form 
them  into  distinct  classes.  I  have,  however,  in  many  cases, 
placed  those  in  succession  whose  characters  most  nearly  assi- 
milate. 

BLACK  HAMBURGH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  13. 

Franc-kental,  Duh. 

Frankenthaler  of  the  Dutch. 

Hampton  Court  vine. 

Esperione  of  some  Boston  collections. 

Warner's  black  Hamburgh. 

Frarikendale. 

•  •  * 

Salisbury  violet. 

Vitis  uvd  media;  acinis  avoides,  saturate  violaceis,dulcibus. — DUH. 

It  is  this  grape  which  is  stated  by  English  authors  to  have 
produced  at  Hampton  Court,  on  a  single  vine,  more  than  a 
ton  weight  of  grapes  in  one  season,  as  mentioned  at  page  26. 
The  leaves  are  almost  smooth  on  the  under  side,  or  very 
slightly  pubescent ;  they  are  pretty  deeply  five  lobed,  with  the 
border  unequally  indented.  The  bunches  are  six  to  nine 
inches  in  length,  regularly  shouldered,  and  descending  to  a 
point,  so  as  to  form  an  elongated  triangle  ;  there  is  a  greater 
regularity  throughout  the  bunches  generally,  than  in  those  of 
most  other  grapes,  and  they  commonly  average  in  weight 
from  one  to  one  and  a  half  pounds,  though  many  are  met  with 
weighing  two  pounds.  I  have  never  seen  bunches  weighing 
four  pounds,  as  some  books  state,  although  I  have  viewed 
them  under  every  favourable  circumstance  ;  and  I  wish  those 
who  are  unacquainted  with  the  subject  to  understand  that  it 
takes  a  large  sized  cluster  of  grapes  to  weigh  two  pounds. — 
The  berries  are  large,  oval,  somewhat  rounded,  of  a  deep 
violet  colour  approaching  to  black ;  they  are  sweet,  of  a  delicate 

12 


90  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

consistence,  and  of  very  pleasant  flavour ;  the  only  fault  is, 
that  the  skin  is  rather  thick. 

The  vine  is  remarkable  for  the  strength  of  its  shoots,  which 
often  produce  several  bunches  the  second  yea'r  from  the 
layer  or  cutting,  and  can  always  be  made  to  do  so  the  third 
year  without  injury.  It  is  a  regular  and  great  bearer,  and 
held  in  high  esteem  for  that  and  its  other  qualities.  In  Eng- 
land it  is  considered  one  of  the  most  uncertain  to  ripen  in 
open  culture,  but  in  the  vicinity  of  New-York  it  succeeds 
perfectly  in  that  manner,  and  matures  its  fruit  towards  the  end 
of  September. 

At  Boston  it  is  cultivated  on  garden  trellices,  and  ripens 
well  in  warm  seasons  and  in  favourable  situations ;  it  is  also 
there  cultivated  to  a  very  great  extent  in  grape-houses  of  a 
cheap  construction. 

I  am  not  certain  that  the  true  Esperione  is  a  synonyme  of  this 
grape,  but  vines  received  from  England  under  that  name  by 
different  persons  about  twelve  years  ago,  and  which  came  from 
different  places,  are  now  in  full  bearing,  and  are  decidedly  the 
same.  It  may  be  that  as  the  distinctions  were  less  understood 
at  former  periods  than  at  the  present  time,  errors  were  then 
committed  in  the  cases  referred  to,  and  that  the  real  Esperione 
is  different. 

RED  HAMBURGH.— PK.  CAT.  No.  15. 
Gibraltar. 

The  fruit  of  this  is  rather  oval,  of  a  dark  red  colour,  and 
when  fully  ripe,  some  of  it  will  become  quite  black.  It  has  a 
rich  vinous  flavour,  and  is  ripe  about  the  same  period  as  the 
black.  It  is  an  excellent  grape,  and  ripens  well  in^open  cul- 
ture in  this  latitude,  maturing  its  fruit  by  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember. 

WHITE  HAMBURGH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  16. 
Portugal. 
Lisbon. 
Clapiers  1 

This  grape,  which  I  have   eaten  the   present  season  in 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


91 


great  perfection,  has  oval  berries  of  very  large  ske,  with  a 
thick  skin  :  they  resemble  the  Malaga  in  taste,  and  in  form 
also,  but  are  considerably  smaller.  The  clusters  are  shoul- 
dered, and  formed  of  small  divisions  or  grappillons,  the  berries 
are  not  very  closely  set,  having  distance  sufficient  to  mature 
readily.  A  bunch  which  I  saw  the  present  season  in  the 
grape-house  of  the  Hon.  John  Lowell,  near  Boston,  weighed 
above  three  pounds,  and  was  the  largest  and  most  beautiful 
cluster  of  the  kind  I  have  ever  seen  ;  other  bunches  weighed 
generally  rather  less  than  two  pounds. 

This  vine  will  ripen  its  fruit  with  skilful  management  under 
open  culture  in  this  vicinity.  There  appears  to  be  some  doubt 
as  to  the  last  synonyrne. 

PURPLE  HAMBURGH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  14. 

I  do  not  find  this  described  as  distinct  by  Speechly  or  For- 
syth,  but  in  the  London  Horticultural  Society's  catalogue  it  is 
placed  separately.  A  friend  of  mine  who  has  a  number  of  the 
vines  under  culture  in  the  same  garden  with  the  black  variety, 
considers  them  as  different,  although  their  general  characters 
bear  much  affinity :  there  is  only  a  slight  variation  in  the  co- 
lour, and  the  clusters  are  not  so  long. 

ESPERIONE.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  12. 
Turner's  early  black. 
Hardy  blue  Windsor. 

In  the  new  edition  of  Forsyth  the  following  description  of 
this  grape  is  given  :  it  has  large  shouldered  bunches ;  the 
berries  vary  much  in  shape,  sometimes  round,  frequently  flat, 
rotund,  and  indented  at  the  apex,  with  the  remains  of  the 
stile — there  is  often  a  groove  on  one  or  both  sides,  decreasing 
from  the  head  downward  ;  skin  of  a  deep  purple  colour,  inclin- 
ing to  black,  and  thickly  covered  with  bloom  ;  the  flesh  ad- 
heres to  the  skin.  It  has  a  pleasant  taste,  but  is  not  high 
flavoured  or  rich.  The  vine  is  very  hardy,  a  great  bearer, 
and  ripens  its  fruit  with  the  sweet  water  and  muscadine. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

I  have  already  remarked  that  some  vines  sent  from  England 
for  this  kind  proved  to  be  the  black  hamburgh.  I  have  some 
vines  however  in  bearing,  which  I  received  two  years  since 
from  an  undoubted  source,  and  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  deter- 
mine whether  they  are  in  reality  as  distinct  as  the  description. 

OEIL  DE  TOURD.— PR.  CAT.  No.  53. 
Chalosse. 
Prunelas. 
Dove's  eye. 

This  is  not  considered  in  France  as  an  esteemed  table 
fruit,  there  being  so  many  superior  to  it ;  the  berries  are  white 
and  of  an  oval  form.  It  has  been  cultivated  in  several  gar- 
dens around  New-York  as  an  eating  grape.  Among  the 
French  it  is  better  known  by  the  second  title,  but  in  this  vici^- 
nity  is  more  generally  called  by  the  first. 

STRIPED  ALEPPO.— PR,  CAT,  No.  7, 
Morillon  panache. 
Chasselas  panacht,  Duh. 
Raisin  suisse. 
Raisin  d'Alep. 
Pineau  noirin . 
Suriss. 

Striped  morillon. 
Variegated  chasselas. 
Striped  muscadine. 
Vitis  acino  rotunda,  media,  bipartite  nigro,  bipartite  albido. — ROZIEK. 

This  grape  was  brought  to  France  during  the  crusades,  and 
is  one  among  the  many  proofs  which  exist  that  the  age  of  a 
variety  is  no  preventive  to  its  vigour  and  fertility  when  it  en- 
joys a  suitable  climate  and  soil,  and  is  under  proper  culture. 
1  have  not  adopted  the  title  of  chasselas,  because  I  have  found 
those  I  have  cultivated  to  be  decidedly  of  the  family  of  the 
morillon,  having  the  same  form,  size,  and  taste,  and  ripening 
at  the  same  period. 

The  leaves  are  dark  green,  divided  into  lobes  of  consider- 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  93 

able  depth,  and  are  bordered  by  large  and  unequal  inden- 
tures, and  about  the  commencement  of  autumn  their  upper 
surface  is  spotted  with  red  and  green,  resembling  Aleppo  let- 
tuce, and  is  also  very  slightly  pubescent;  the  under  side  is 
downy,  which  gives  it  rather  a  whitish  appearance.  The 
clusters  are  from  four  to  six  inches  in  length,  formed  of  rounded 
berries  of  medium  size,  which  have  generally  but  one  seed. 

On  the  same  plant  are  produced  white  fruit,  black  or  dark 
violet  fruit,  and  fruit  of  two  colours,  some  of  the  berries  be- 
ing half  of  each  colour,  and  others  striped  with  greater  or  less 
divisions  of  each.  The  variations  are  often  found  on  the  same 
cluster,  some  bunches  will  be  entirely  black,  others  with  a  few 
white  berries,  and  other  clusters  will  be  almost  entirely  white, 
having  only  a  few  dark  violet  or  striped  berries  intermixed.—- 
Duhamel  remarks,  that  the  violet  coloured  bunches  are  more 
sweet  and  pleasant,  and  possess  more  of  a  vinous  flavour  than 
the  white  ones.  I  have  not  thought  of  noticing  when  eating 
the  fruit  if  this  was  the  fact,  but  if  so  it  may  be  readily  ac- 
counted for  by  the  greater  action  of  the  sun  on  the  coloured 
berries,  maturing  them  more  perfectly.  This  grape  is  con- 
sidered worthy  of  culture  as  an  object  of  curiosity ;  it  is  one 
of  the  most  hardy  varieties,  and  ripens  its  fruit  at  New- York 
the  end  of  August  or  beginning  of  September,  and  would 
without  doubt  mature  its  fruit  at  Boston,  and  probably  for 
some  distance  north  of  it.  It  is  a  good  bearer,  and  the  wine 
made  from  it  is  good,  keeps  well,  and  imparts  strength  and 
durability  to  those  with  which  it  is  mixed,  which  is  another 
proof  that  it  rightly  belongs  to  the  morillon  or  pineau  class, 
and  not  to  the  chasselas. 

WHITE  ST.  PETER'S.— PR.  CAT.  No.  18. 

St.  Pierre  blanc. 
Moscori. 

('      \ 

This  is  a  large  and  very  handsome  fruit,  the  bunches  are  large 
and  shouldered  ;  the  berries  of  oval  form,  sufficiently  distant 
on  the  cluster  to  ripen  well,  and  of  excellent  quality. 


'  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

It  has  been  until  latterly  very  little  known,  but  is  coming 
much  into  repute  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  and  the  north  of 
France,  as  it  ripens  its  fruit  well  there.  I  have  had  crops  from 
it  for  three  years  in  my  vineyard,  and  they  arrived  at  perfect 
maturity  in  every  instance ;  and  I  consider  it  capable  of  being 
cultivated  with  the  same  ease  as  the  common  white  chasselas, 
and  that  it  will  ripen  as  soon. 

BLACK  ST.  PETER'S.— PR.  CAT.  No.  17. 
Black  grape  from  Palestine. 

This  has  a  large  and  rather  oval  berry  with  a  thin  skin, 
of  a  deep  black  colour  when  ripe  ;  the  bunches  are  large,  and 
the  flesh  juicy ;  the  leaves  are  very  much  divided  and  the  fruit 
ripens  at  the  end  of  September  or  beginning  of  October.  The 
berries  are  subject  to  crack,  for  which  reason  it  is  not  deemed 
suitable  for  forcing  in  houses. 

WEST'S  ST.  PETER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  19. 
Black  Lombardy. 

This  has  large  black  berries  of  excellent  flavour;  the 
bunches  are  of  fine  appearance,  and  the  grapes  are  highly- 
esteemed. 

BLACK  PRINCE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  20. 

This  is  an  excellent  grape,  of  a  blackish  purple  colour, 
covered  with  a  bloom ;  the  berries  are  moderately  large  and 
of  oval  form  ;  the  skin  is  thick  and  rather  harsh  ;  the  pulp 
white  and  of  pleasant  taste,  and  the  juice  sweet  and  of  good 
flavour.  The  bunches  grow  large,  sometimes  weighing  a 
pound  and  a  half;  the  fruit  ripens  well,  and  the  vine  is  a  good 
bearer. 

It  is  considered  an  excellent  grape  for  rearing  in  houses, 
and  also  succeeds  well  in  this  latitude  by  open  culture. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


95 


BLACK  MOROCCO.— PR.  CAT.  No.  28. 

Raisin  de  Maroc,  Duh. 
Maroc,  or  GrosMaroc. 
Raisin  Turc. 
Raisin  dAfrique. 

Maroquin,  )  Erroneously. 

Maroquin  d'Espagne,  $ 

Barbarous. 

Morocco. 

Le  Ccsur. 

Ansley's  large  oval  Hack. 

Vitis  acino  maxima,  ovato,  saturate,  molaceo. — Dull. 

The  leaf  of  this  vine  is  large,  deeply  serrated,  bordered 
with  large  and  acute  teeth  supported  by  a  large  and  long  pe- 
tiole. The  bunch  is  of  great  size,  composed  of  large  berries 
somewhat  oval,  and  rather  more  swollen  at  the  summit  than  at 
the  base.  The  skin  is  hard  and  thick,  of  a  deep  violet  with  a 
fine  bloom ;  the  pulp  is  of  a  bluish  white,  full  of  agreeable 
and  high-flavoured  juice  when  the  fruit  is  perfectly  ripe  ;  each 
berry  contains  two  large  seeds. 

I  find  I  have  two  varieties,  the  one  received  from  France 
being  a  long  oval,  whereas  the  one  obtained  from  England 
partakes  very  little  of  that  form.  This  grape  seldom  ripens 
perfectly  in  the  latitude  of  Paris,  and  is  not  eaten  in  perfection 
except  in  the  south  of  that  country ;  it  can,  therefore,  scarcely 
be  expected  to  succeed  regularly  in  this  vicinity  by  open  cul- 
ture, but  it  ripened  with  me  the  present  year  about  the  1st  of 
October. 

SYRIAN.— PR.  CAT.  No.  40. 

Jews. 
Syrie. 

This  is  the  variety  referred  to  at  page  30,  as  having  produced 
in  England,  a  bunch  weighing  19  i  pounds.  It  is  also  sup- 
posed by  many,  to  be  the  species  found  by  the  spies  sent  by 


96  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

the  Israelites,  a  bunch  of  which  they  cut  down  at  the  brook  of 
Eshcol,  in  the  southern  part  of  Canaan,  and  bore  on  their  re- 
turn between  two,  upon  a  staff. — Numbers,  Chap.  xiii. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  it  certainly  has  produced  the  most  enor- 
mous clusters  that  the  gardens  of  Europe  can  boast,  and  has 
been  nearly  equalled  only  by  the  Gros  Guillaume,  which  being 
black,  would  form  with  this  an  admirable  spectacle,  when 
growing  in  the  same  house  or  the  same  vineyard. 

The  berries  of  the  Syrian  are  white,  large,  and  oval,  with  a 
thick  skin,  and  solid  flesh — the  bunches  handsomely  formed, 
and  of  enormous  size,  making  a  noble  appearance. 

Although  it  is  generally  considered  a  coarse  fruit,  it  is  not 
more  so  than  the  Malaga,  which  we  so  often  import  in  jars  ; 
and  it  may  be  kept  in  perfection  on  the  vine  for  many  months, 
or  be  preserved  fresh  in  jars,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  grapes 
we  import.  The  berries  sometimes  require  thinning,  in  order 
to  advance  their  maturity  ;  that  is,  in  climates  where  the  sea- 
sons are  not  of  sufficient  length,  but  in  the  southern  states  no 
attention  of  that  kind  is  required. 

It  is  a  prolific  bearer ;  but  it  may  be  taken  as  a  general 
standard,  that  the  size  of  a  bunch  lessens  the  number  in  due 
proportion,  and  that,  be  the  clusters  as  large  as  they  may,  there 
will  not  be  on  a  vine  of  a  given  size,  a  greater  weight  of  fruit, 
than  on  one  of  another  kind  of  equal  size,  of  an  equally  thrifty 
variety. 

GRAND  GUILLAUME.— PR.  CAT.  No.  255. 

Gros  Guillaume, 

Rognon  de  Coq,  of  Provence, 

Vitis  uvd  maxima  et  longissima,  acinis  mqjoribus,  <$-c. 

This  variety  is,  according  to  Garidel,  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting, and  produces  bunches  which  weigh  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  pounds. — Mr.  Michel  states,  that  the  clusters  are  so 
large,  and  the  berries  so  nnmerous,  that  they  can  seldom  be 
found  with  the  whole  perfectly  ripe  at  the  same  time.  When  the 
berries  begin  to  change  colour  and  ripen,  the  thinness  of  the 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  97 

skin  allows  them  to  be  subjected  to  the  attacks  of  bees  and 
other  insects,  which  injure  the  fruit,  and  thereby  render  it  liable 
to  decay  and  fall  off.  In  other  respects,  this  grape  is  not  cal- 
culated to  keep  long,  and  the  juice  although  pleasant,  is  not 
high  flavoured. 

Some  cultivators  and  amateurs  have  essayed  to  preserve  the 
bunches  in  brandy,  and  have  completely  succeeded.  It  is 
often  called  by  the  name  given  as  the  last  synonyme.  This  vine 
was  cultivated  in  the  Luxembourg  royal  garden,  having  been 
obtained  from  Aix.  The  shoots  of  those  growing  in  my  vine- 
yard, surpass  many  other  kinds  in  size  and  vigour. 

WHITE  SEEDLESS  CORINTH.— PB.  CAT.  No.  24. 

Corinthe  blanc,  Duh. 

Corinthe  sans  pepins. 

Kishmishi. 

Uvapassa  bianca. 

Corinthian  vine. 

White  Kismish,  Trans.  Lond.  Hort.  Soc. 

Yellow  stoneless. 

Vitis  acino  minima,  rotunda,  albido,  sine  nucleis,  Corinthia. — DUH. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  large  five  lobed,  the  three  centre 
ones  being  large,  and  the  lateral  ones  less  distinct,  the  edges 
are  also  irregularly  indented.  The  upper  surface  is  green,  and 
the  under  side  so  very  downy,  that  it  appears  almost  white. 
The  bunches  are  four  to  five  inches  long,  and  are  composed 
of  numerous  berries,  of  very  small  size,  closely  set,  and  covered 
with  a  bloom,  and  of  the  same  colour  as  the  white  chasselas. 

The  flesh  is  very  melting,  and  full  of  sweet  and  very  pleasant 
juice,  and  the  grapes  ripen  early  in  September. 

The  berries  have  no  seeds,  nevertheless,  there  are  some  found, 
(but  very  rarely,)  containing  seeds  ;  in  such  case,  the  berries 
containing  them,  grow  four  or  five  times  as  large  as  the  others 
on  the  same  bunch ;  which  goes  to  prove,  that  if  all  the  berries 
were  fertilized,  the  bunches  would  acquire  a  much  larger  size. 
Tn  fact,  the  vine  is  large  in  all  its  parts,  except  in  its  miniature 

13 


98  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

fruit,  which  is  truly  of  that  character,  when  compared  with  the 
other  parts  of  the  plant.  The  trunk  or  body  becomes,  per- 
haps, the  largest  of  all  the  varieties  of  vines.  It  advances  in 
size  and  extent  doubly  what  other  kinds  do  in  the  same  period. 
Duhamel  mentions  the  body  of  a  vine  of  twenty-five  years  oi 
age,  which  was  thirty-three  inches  in  circumference,  at  the 
height  of  a  man's  head.  This  speedy  development  in  its  dimen- 
sions, is  the  result,  without  doubt,  of  the  little  exhaustion  occa- 
sioned in  the  production  of  abortive  fruit  of  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  the  natural  size.  There  are  several  other  varieties 
whose  merits  are  yet  little  known,  but  the  most  of  which  are  in 
my  vineyard,  among  them  is  the  blue  corinth,  or  Corinthe 
violet,  whose  fruit  is  also  seedless  and  larger  than  the  white  ; 
it  is  very  subject  to  bleed,  and  the  fruit  rots  so  rapidly  in  the 
north-eastern  departments  of  France,  that  they  have  given  it 
the  title  of  Passe,  or  Passeritte.  There  is  also  the  Red 
corinth,  which  is  much  liked,  and  the  Gros  corinthe  with  seeds, 
besides  which,  there  is  a  large  seedless  variety,  said  to  bear 
more  resemblance  to  the  chasselas  grape,  and  to  be  a  sub- 
variety  of  it  with  smaller  fruit,  possessing  less  sweetness. 

I  have  not  put  down  the  Smyrna  raisin  as  a  synonyme,  in 
accordance  with  some  English  authors,  because  the  two  grapes 
are  perfectly  distinct,  and  in  truth,  it  would  require  a.  grape  of 
twice  the  size  of  this  to  make  a  Smyrna  raisin  ;  the  latter  has 
also  the  semblance  of  seeds,  whereas  the  white  corinth  has  not 
in  general  a  vestige  of  the  kind. 

BLACK  CORINTH. 

Currant  grape. 

Zante. 

Black  Ascalon. 

L  am  not  aware  that  this  differs  from  the  Corinthe  violet 
already  referred  to.  It  is  described  as  having  a  small  roundish 
berry,  generally  without  a  stone,  of  a  deep  black  colour,  and 
closely  set  on  small  short  bunches.  The  juice  is  sugary,  and 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  9 

it  ripens  at  the  end  of  September,  or  beginning  of  October, 
but  will  not  last  long. 

WHITE  CORNICHON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  22. 

Cornichon  blanc,  Duh. 
Crochu  of  Provence. 
Pisutelli  of  Marseilles. 
Cucumber  grape. 
Finger  grape. 
White  girkin. 

Vitis  acino  longissimo,  cucumerformi^  albido. — DUH. 
'       .  '    «M» 

The  leaf  of  this  is  large,  and  so  little  serrated  that  it  ap- 
pears almost  entire,  but  it  is  bordered  with  large  and  pointed 
teeth  ;  the  bunch  does  not  contain  a  great  many  berries,  and 
these  are  fourteen  to  nineteen  lines  in  length,  and  but  six  lines 
in  diameter  in  their  largest  part,  which  is  rather  nearer  the 
summit  than  the  base.  These  berries  are  of  a  very  peculiar 
form  ;  they  are  curved  like  a  cucumber,  diminishing  in  size 
towards  the  peduncle  and  much  more  at  the  other  extremity, 
without  however  terminating  in  an  acute  point.  The  skin  is 
hard,  covered  with  a  bloom,  and  is  of  a  clear  green  or  whitish 
hue,  which  becomes  a  little  yellow  at  perfect  maturity.  In 
each  berry  are  one  or  two  seeds  terminated  by  a  point. 

The  singular  form  of  this  grape,  and  its  pleasant  taste 
would  cause  it  to  be  much  sought  for  if  it  ripened  better  in 
the  colder  latitudes ;  but  in  that  of  Paris  it  only  ripens  occa- 
sionally when  very  hot  seasons  occur,  and  where  the  situation 
is  very  favourable.  For  the  same  reason  it  sometimes  fails  in 
this  vicinity,  and  it  is  only  further  south  that  it  can  be  culti- 
vated with  full  success.  A  red  or  violet  variety  is  mentioned 
by  Duhamel,  but  I  presume  he  referred  to  the  following, 
which  until  latterly  was  but  little  known. 


100  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

VIOLET  CORNICHON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  23. 
Cornichon  violet. 

Vitis  acino  longissimo,  cucumerformi,  violaceo,  fyc. 

The  leaves  are  very  large  and  but  slightly  lobed ;  the  ber- 
ries are  long,  largest  at  the  base,  and  somewhat  curved  at  the 
apex — their  length  is  in  proportion  to  their  average  breadth,  as 
two  and  a  half  or  three  and  a  half  to  one.  When  quite  ripe 
they  are  in  general  entirely  blue,  but  in  climates  where  they 
cannot  perfect  their  maturity,  they  often  remain  green  at  the 
base.  The  wine  is  harsh,  and  it  needs  a  mixture  wklff  sweeter 
grapes  to  render  it  agreeable.  It  ripens  later  than  the  preced- 
ing ;  the  remarks,  however,  applied  to  that  in  respect  to  cli- 
mate will  also  apply  to  this. 

Forsyth  speaks  of  a  variety  with  black  berries,  but  there  is 
no  such  one  in  the  French  lists  that  have  met  my  eye,  or  in 
those  of  this  country,  nor  do  other  English  standard  works  of 
late  date  enumerate  it. 

It  is  said  to  be  called  in  France  Dedo-de-dame,  and  I  notice 
a  grape  under  this  title  in  the  catalogue  of  the  London  Hor- 
ticultural Society,  but  they  omit  the  Cornishon  violet— may 
they  not  therefore  be  the  same  ? 

VERJUS.— DUH. 

Bourdelas.    » 

Bordelais. 

Agyras. 

Grey. 

Gregoir. 

White  verjus. 

Vitis  acino  mojor«,  ovato,  e  viridiflaveseentC)  4*c. — DUH. 

The  leaf  of  this  grape  is  very  large  and  slightly  serrated. 
The  bunch  is  also  very  large,  formed  of  many  wings  or  divi- 
sions ;  the  berries  are  oval,  rather  larger  at  the  apex  than  at 
the  base,  pretty  closely  set ;  the  skin  is  thick  and  very  firm., 


DiOMENCIATURE  OF  GRAPES  lUl 

witli  a  slight  bloom,  and  of  a  light  green  acquiring  a  tint  of 
yellow  when  the  fruit  is  very  ripe  ;  the  flesh  is  also  firm,  white 
approaching  to  green,  with  abundant  juice.  Each  berry 
usually  contains  four  seeds  of  moderate  size. 

This  grape  is  cultivated  in  some  departments  only  for 
using  in  an  immature  state  for  different  domestic  purposes. 
Before  it  acquires  full  size,  the  verjuice  is  expressed  from  it  of 
which  such  great  use  is  made  in  the  kitchen  for  various  sauces 
and  seasonings.  Excellent  preserves  and  marmalade,  and  a 
pleasant  syrup  are  also  made  from  it.  When  it  has  even  attained 
perfect  maturity,  which  seldom  happens  in  the  latitude  of  Paris 
or  in  that  of  New- York,  it  is  not  very  pleasant  for  eating, 
because  its  taste  is  rather  insipid  and  not  high  flavoured.  The 
wood  is  the  strongest  and  most  vigorous  of  all  grapes ;  it 
grows  with  such  force  and  rapidity,  that  in  order  to  have  a 
great  deal  of  fruit  the  system  of  long  pruning  must  be  pur- 
sued. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  there  is  a  black  variety  much  culti- 
vated in  the  south  of  France,  (see  catalogue  No.  24,)  and  a 
red  variety  is  also  described,  but  this  last  is,  however,  not  held 
in  as  much  esteem  as  the  others.  In  the  vicinity  of  Bordeaux 
it  comes  to  perfect  maturity,  and  it  is  considered  of  value  in 
the  vineyards  to  mingle  with  other  grapes.  The  verjus  has 
matured  its  fruit  with  me  the  present  season  ripening  the  first 
of  October. 

VERBAL— VERDAOU— Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  54. 
Aspiran  of  Languedoc. 

Vitis  pergulana,  uva  perampld,  acino  oblongo. 

This  is  one  of  the  sweetest  and  finest  grapes  for  the  table. 
The  bunches  are  beautiful,  and  formed  of  very  large  white 
berries,  which  have  a  thin  skin,  but  are  firm  and  contain  but 
one  or  two  small  seeds.  Being  from  Languedoc,  it  does  not 
succeed  in  the  latitude  of  Paris,  and  will  not  in  this  vicinity 
unless  in  a  highly  favourable  situation,  and  a  very  hot  season. 
It  would,  however,  be  suitable  to  localities  south  of  the  Poto- 


102 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


mac.     There  are  two  varieties  of  grape  known  under  thi& 
name. 

CLARETTE  BLANCHE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  284. 

Clairette,  Dull. 
Clareto  of  Provence. 

Vitis  fertillissima,  uvd  seroiina,  ac'uusminutis,  subflavis,  fyc. 

This  variety  is  very  productive  ;  the  clusters  ripen  late,  and 
remain  perfect  a  long  time  ;  the  berries  are  of  medium  size,  a 
little  pointed,  of  a  whitish  yellow,  and  are  very  sweet  tasted.  It 
is  better  to  keep  for  eating  than  to  use  for  making  wine ;  there 
is  a  red  variety  which  does  not  appear  to  differ  very  materially 
except  in  the  colour. 

OLIVETTE  BLANCHE,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  295. 

Vitis  acinis  albis,  acuminatis. 

This  grape  is  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  of  Provence,  and 
as  it  keeps  well,  they  collect  them  and  hang  them  up,  and 
they  are  preserved  in  that  manner  until  the  beginning  of  sum- 
mer. The  fruit  is  white  and  of  an  oval  form. 

OLIVETTE  NOIRE,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No  259. 

Vitis  uvd  serotind,  acinis  nigris,  ovatis,  acuminatis,  fyc. 

The  clusters  of  this  grape  are  very  large  and  long,  and 
composed  of  berries  hanging  rather  loosely  on  long  pedun- 
cles ;  they  are  large,  olive  form,  and  very  hard,  although  the 
skin  is  delicate ;  the  flavour  is  excellent,  and  it  is  equally  good 
for  the  table  and  for  making  wine,  but  is  not  much  used  for  the 
latter  purpose. 

RAISIN  DE  POCHE,  Dun. 
Tres  dur,  ou  de  Poclie.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  361. 

Vitis  uvd  ampld,  acino  ovato,  violaceo,  durissimo. — DtfH. 

The  leaves  are  not  very  deeply  lobed,  but  are  bordered  with 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES! . 

large  and  irregular  indentures.  The  bunch  is  eight  to  ten 
inches  long,  composed  of  oval  berries  of  pretty  large  size,  very 
firm,  and  of  a  clear  violet  colour,  which  are  not  easily  mashed, 
whence  they  have  derived  the  name  they  bear,  which  means  in 
English,  pocket-grape. 

RAISIN  PERLE,— DITH. 

Rognon  de  Coq. 
Barlantin. 

Pendoulaou.       >     ,.  „ 
RindePansso,l  ^  ^ovence. 

Vitis  pergulana  uvd  perampld,  fyc, 

The  leaves  are  dentated  and  divided  into  three  lobes,  which 
are  almost  formed  into  five  by  the  division  of  the  two  lateral 
lobes  into  smaller  ones  ;  the  berries  are  of  quite  unequal 
sizes,  but  mostly  not  large ;  they  are  oval,  'of  a  pale  pearly 
green,  and  full  of  sweet  rich  juice,  and  are  borne  on  separate 
very  long  peduncles  ;  the  bunches  are  long  and  loose,  beiag 
formed  of  several  shoulders  and  small  divisions.  This  variety 
is  cultivated  to  a  great  extent  in  many  vineyards,  the  fruit  when 
fully  ripe  has  a  slight  musk  flavour,  and  the  wine  made  from  it 
whether  white,  pale,  or  red,  is  generous  and  excellent.  It  also 
makes  very  rich  and  fragrant  marmalade, 

It  thrives  best  in  a  strong  loam,  calcareous  or  marly,  and 
situated  on  a  declivity.  Humidity  is  very  injurious  to  it  at  the 
period  of  flowering,  and  its  effect  is  to  cause  blight.  In  cli- 
mates too  far  north  for  it,  it  is  much  injured  by  spring  and  fall 
frosts,  and  does  not  readily  recover  from  their  effects.  Being  a 
vigorous  variety,  it  does  not  require  frequent  renewal  by  pro- 
vignage  or  layering,  and  it  may  be  subjected  to  long  pruning 
without  fear  of  exhausting  the  plant. 

ROUDEILLAT.— DUH. 

Vitis  octno  rotundo,  albo,flavescenti,  dulci  et  duro. 

This  variety  is  very  common  in  all  the  vineyards  of  Pro- 
vence, nevertheless  it  is  seldom  used  for  making  wine,  it  being 


104  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

generally  preferred  for  eating  ;  the  skin  is  so  delicate  that  it 
does  not  keep  long.  Garidel  places  it  among  the  most  delicate 
table  grapes. 

PLANT  DE  LANGUEDOC,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  344. 

Yitis  maxima  ;  uvd  perampld  acinis  albido  viridis,  fyc, 

This  vine  produces  large  bunches,  the  fruit  is  of  good  size, 
of  a  round  form,  a  greenish  white  colour,  and  agreeable  flavour ; 
it  requires  to  be  gathered  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe,  and  if  to  be  used 
for  passerilles,  it  should  not  be  collected  until  after  the  sun 
has  caused  the  evaporation  of  the  humidity,  and  it  is  well  to 
twist  the  stem  some  days  before  the  bunches  are  gathered. 

PLANT  DE  SALES.— PR.  CAT.  No.  302. 
Le  Salt,  Duh. 

VitisfertUlissima,  uvd perampld,  acfilisfulvis,  oblongis,  fyc* 

This  grape  is  cultivated  less  for  the  purpose  of  wine  than  for 
being  preserved.  The  cluster  presents  an  amber  hue,  the 
berries  are  small,  oblong,  and  marked  with  small  reddish  spots. 
There  is  also  a  white  variety ;  both  are  cultivated  at  Mar- 
seilles, but  the  fruit  which  bears  the  same  name  at  Aix,  and 
which  is  spoken  of  by  Garidel,  is  different  from  both  I  have 
here  mentioned. 

LE  PICOTE,  DUH. 

Vitis  uvd  ampld,  acinis  albidis  elfulvis,  magnis,  oblongis,  fyc. 

The  joints  of  the  shoots  of  this  variety  are  very  near  to  each 
other.  The  bunches  are  formed  of  whitish  berries,  which  are 
large  and  oblong,  and  have  very  sweet  juice  ;  the  skin  is  firm, 
and  dotted  over  with  reddish  points.  This  fruit  is.  more 
esteemed  for  the  table  than  for  wine. 

LE  POOUMESTRE.— DUH. 

Vitis  mutabilis,  pergulana,  fertillissima,  fyc. 

The  fruit  produced  by  this  vine  does  not  ripen  until  towards 
the  end  of  December.  The  berries  change  from  white  to  red 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES*.  105 

and  to  black,  when  they  have  attained  to  their  maturity.  This 
variety  often  blossoms,  and  produces  fruit  twice  the  same  year. 
It  is  not  unfrequent  in  southern  climates,  to  gather  and  eat  the 
fruit  from  it  in  May,  when  the  second  crop  is  not  fit  to  gather 
until  December. 

BARLANTIN,  DUH. 
Danugo  of  Provence. 

Vitis  pergulana,  uvd  maxima,  perampla  et  serotina,  fyc. 

The  fruit  of  this  variety  keeps  a  long  time  and  very  seldom 
rots ;  the  berries  are  as  large  as  the  damask  plum.  It  ripens 
about  the  end  of  September ;  is  round,  and  of  a  dark  violet 
colour,  has  a  thick  skin  and  pleasant  flavour. 

ESPACNIN,  DUH. 

Marroquin,  or  Espagnin. — PR.  CAT.  No.  206. 

Vitis  duracina,  acino  magno,  nigro,  rotunda,  fyc. 

This  variety  is  cultivated  in  Provence,  its  shoots  grow  to  a 
less  height  than  most  other  kinds,  and  its  fruit,  which  is  large, 
round,  and  black,  ripens  about  the  end  of  September,  and  is 
deemed  very  suitable  for  wine.  It  is  confused  by  some  authors 
with  the  black  morocco. 

PASCAOU  BLANC,  Dun. 

Vitis  fertttlissima,  uvd  perampla  etprecia,  acinis  rotundis,  fyc. 

This  variety  is  pretty  common  in  the  vineyards  of  Provence, 
the  joints  of  the  shoots  are  very  near  to  each  other  ;  the  berries 
are  greenish  white,  and  of  a  round  form ;  the  fruit  most  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  takes  a  ruddy  tint,  and  ripens  the  end  of 
August,  or  beginning  of  September.  They  are  excellent  for 
making  white  wine,  which  it  is  necessary  should  be  made 
speedily,  as  the  grapes  being  very  early,  are  readily  attacked 
by  bees  and  other  insects,  which  detract  from  their  quality, 
and  accelerate  their  decay.  In  Provence  they  also  cultivate 
another  variety,  which  differs  only  in  being  of  a  black  colour, 
;ind  is  known  by  the  name  of  Pascaou 

14 


106  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


COLUMBAU.— PR.  CAT.  No.  285. 

Le  Coluiribal,    \  ^  , 
Le  Coloumbau,  \  D 

Vitis  uberrima,  racemis  mediocribus,  aciniS  nigris  et  albis. 

This  grape  is  cultivated  in  all  the  vineyards  of  Provence, 
where  it  is  known  by  the  title  here  adopted  ;  the  wood  is  of  a 
blackish  red  colour,  and  the  joints  are  near  to  one  another. 
The  fruit  ripens  about  the  end  of  August,  at  the  same  period 
as  the  pascaou,  to  which  it  has  some  resemblance,  both  in  form 
and  taste.  Its  produce  is  very  abundant,  and  if  not  gathered 
as  soon  as  mature,  it  speedily  rots.  It  does  not  require  particular 
care  in  regard  to  pruning,  which  circumstance  is  confirmed  by 
a  provenc.al  proverb,  which  says,  "prune  me  well,  'prune  me  ill., 
plant  me  always."  This  grape  is  also  considered  a  table 
fruit,  having  a  sweet  and  agreeable  flavour  :  there  are  two 
varieties,  the  white  and  the  black. 

ANGULEUX,  Dun. 

Vitis  adno  oblongo,  duro,  angulari  et  rufescenti,  4*c. 

Garidel  designates  this  variety  as  very  singular,  on  account 
of  the  particular  form  of  its  berry,  which  is  oblong  or  angular, 
of  a  reddish  cast,  and  of  sweet  and  exquisite  taste  ;  and  he  states 
at  the  same  time,  that  it  is  very  scarce, 

RAISIN  DE  LA  PALESTINE. 

Under  this  title,  Mr.  Pirolle  states  there  is  a  variety  of  grape 
cultivated  by  Mr.  Boursault,  of  Paris.  The  vine  is  very  vigor- 
ous ;  the  clusters  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  long  ;  berries  large, 
and  oval,  of  a  golden  yellow  at  maturity,  and  sufficiently 
spaced  on  the  bunch,  to  allow  of  their  ripening  at  the  end  of 
September  or  commencement  of  October  ;  the  pulp  is  of  very 
pleasant  taste.  The  plant  appears  to  be  productive,  but  it  is 
recommended  in  that  latitude  to  train  it  against  a  wall,  and  to 
leave  but  a  moderate  number  of  clusters,  in  order  that  it  may 
attain  to  maturity  in  that  climate. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES  107 

UGNE  DE  MARSEILLE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  371. 

* 

This  vine,  which  is  one  of  those  whose  fruit  is  most  esteemed 
for  the  table,  is  from  the.  south  of  France,  and  matured  its  fruit 
with  me  the  present  year  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  September  ', 
the  berries  are  round,  whitish,  with  some  gray  tints  where  fully 
exposed  to  the  sun.  The  Ugne-lombarde  also  ripens  in  Sep- 
tember in  my  vineyard  ;  the  fruit  is  white  and  a  little  oval. 

CASCARALO  BLANC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  317. 

This  has  fruit  of  a  musky  flavour,  the  berries  are  of  oval 
form,  and  have  often  a  tinge  of  red  on  them  ;  it  is  a  pleasant 
table  fruit,  and  ripens  well  in  this  latitude.  In  France  it  is 
cultivated  more  particularly  for  wine. 

ST.  VALENTINE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  167.      .  ^ 
Saint  Valentin. 

This  vine  produces  berries  which  are  of  rather  oval  form  and 
very  sweet ;  their  colour  is  white  or  a  little  tinged,  and  they 
ripen  well  in  this  latitude,  being  mature  on  the  1 5th  or  20th  of 
September. 

PIQUE  POULE  BLANC.— LANDES. 

The  fruit  of  this  kind  is  round,  white,  and  of  pleasant 
flavour  for  the  table,  and  ripens  about  20th  September.  It 
was  by  mistake  omitted  in  my  catalogue  of  vines :  there  are 
several  other  varieties,  some  differing  in  quality  and  others  in 
colour :  this  is  from  the  department  of  Landes,  in  France. 

DE  CANDOLLE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  157. 
Riesentraube. 

This  vine  has  round  fruit  of  purple  colour  and  of  large 
size,  which  comes  to  maturity  about  the  30th  September.  It 
is  valued  in  France  as  a  table  fruit. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

*  'afcr         *      ' 

LARGE  DAMASK.— PR.  CAT.  No.  160, 

Gros  Damas. 
Damas  le  gros. 

This  is  also  cultivated  in  France  as  a  table  variety.  The 
berries  are  very  large,  very  oval,  and  of  a  purple  colour,  and! 
ripen  about  the  10th  to  15th  September. 

GRINIOLO. 

The  berries  of  this  are  round,  white,  and  of  fine  flavour, 
which  circumstance  renders  it  suitable  for  the  table.  It  ripens 
in  my  vineyard  the  15th  of  September.  There  is  a  grape  cul- 
tivated in  the  south  of  France,  called  the  Grinoli,  which  has 
black  fruit. 

TERRE  PROMISE. 

Terra  promessa. 

This  vine  is  stated  by  authority  on  which  I  can  rely,  to  pro- 
duce fruit  of  extraordinary  size ;  it  being  only  recently  ob- 
tained, I  am  not  enabled  to  give  further  details. 

MONTPELLIER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  162. 
Raisin  de  Montpellier  a  grandes  grappes. 

This  vine  is  of  vigorous  growth  and  bears  well ;  the  bunches 
are  very  large,  and  the  fruit  of  good  flavour.  It  is  considered 
in  France  a  valuable  table  variety. 

ASPIRANT  BLANC,  SEEDLESS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  153. 

Aspirant  blancsans  pepins. 
White  seedless  aspirant. 

This  variety  has  produced  fruit  with  me ;  it  is  white  and  of 
very  pleasant  flavour,  with  the  advantage  of  containing  no 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GlIAPES.  K&9 

seeds.     I  take  this  to  be  the  kind  mentioned  by  some  authors 
as  a  seedless  variety  of  the  chasselas. 

I 

BLACK  MUSCADINE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  8. 

This  has  berries  of  medium  size,  which  are  round,  of  a 
•  black  colour  and  beautifully  powdered  with  a  purplish  bloom; 
it  bears  well,  ripens  in  September,  and  makes  a  fine  appear- 
ance ;  the  flesh  is  not  as  delicate  and  juicy  as  the  white  mus^ 
cadine. 

BLACK  DAMASCUS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  21. 

Worksop  Manor  grape. 

This  grape,  although  late  at  maturity,  is  deemed  an  excel- 
lent and  valuable  variety ;  the  berries  are  round,  large  and 
black  ;  the  skin  thin  and  the  flesh  delicate,  rich,  juicy,  and  of 
very  fine  flavour.  On  the  same  cluster  are  contained  berries 
of  different  sizes,  the  large  ones  containing  but  one  seed,  and 
the  small  ones  generally  none. 

PITMASTON  WHITE  CLUSTER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  33. 

This  is  a  fine  table  variety  recently  brought  into  notice  in 
the  English  collections.  It  originated  from  seed  at  Pitmaston. 
near  London,  and  is  there  held  in  much  esteem. 

BLACK  LISBON. 

Black  Portugal. 

This  I  consider  synonymous  with  the  black  hamburgh,  to 
which  the  English  authors  state  it  bears  a  great  resemblance. 
The  fruit  is  stated  by  them  to  be  large,  of  globular  form, 
with  a  thin  skin,  black  and  juicy,  and  the  bunches  shouldered. 
I  presume  the  black  Portugal  of  some  authors  refers  to  the 
same  grape.  As  I  have  vines  growing,  I  shall  be  able  to  test 
all  these  points. 


1 10  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

GREEK  GRAPE. 

Speechly  mentions  this  in  his  list  of  grapes,  and  states  that 
the  berries  are  of  moderate  size,  of  rather  an  oval  form,  and  of  a 
blueish  white  colour,  growing  close  on  the  clusters,  which  are 
of  handsome  shape  and  moderate  size  ;  the  fruit  is  of  delicate- 
taste  and  much  esteemed,  and  the  leaves  grow  on  very  short 
foot  -stalks,  and  resemble  those  of  the  sweetwater. 

I  have  some  vines  which  I  received  from  Europe  as  a  variety 
of  the  Tokay,  that  produce  an  early  pleasant  table  grape,  of 
the  same  taste  as  the  white  muscadine,  but  with  little  flavour, 
and  which  have  been  considered  by  some  connoisseurs  to  be 
the  same  as  this  variety. 

RAISIN  DE  CARMES,  HOOKER  POM.  LOND. 
Raisin  de  Cabo. 

This  vine  has  very  large  berries,  of  an  irregular  oval  form, 
and  of  a  dusky  reddish  purple  colour,  covered  with  bloom; 
the  skin  is  thick ;  the  pulp  firm,  juicy  and  rich,  with  some 
acidity  ;  the  bunches  are  long  and  the  berries  loosely  set. — 
The  vine  grows  freely  and  is  productive. 

EARLY  WHITE  GRAPE  OF  TENERIFFE. 

The  berries  of  this  variety  are  of  medium  size  and  of  round 
form,  the  skin  thin,  and  the  pulp  very  juicy  and  sweet.  It 
has  been  for  a  long  period  cultivated  in  English  collections, 
and  its  berries  and  branches  have  a  great  resemblance  and 
affinity  to  the  white  muscadine. 

RED  GRAPE  OF  SYRACUSE. 

This  is  one  of  the  old  varieties  long  since  introduced  to 
the  London  collections  ;  the  berries  are  very  large  and  fine, 
of  an  irregular  oval  form  and  of  a  red  colour. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  Ill 


GOLDEN  GALICIAN. 

A  Spanish  grape  of  a  yellow  colour,  and  passable  in  point 
of  flavour;  the  berries  are  of  good  size,  of  an  oval  form,  and 
the  flesh  firm  ;  the  foot-stalks  are  of  a  pale  yellow  colour. 

BRICK  GRAPE.— LANCIEY  POM. 

This  is  described  by  Forsyth  as  having  small  berries,  nearly 
oval,  and  of  a  deep  red  colour,  with  a  thin  skin  and  very 
sweet  juice ;  its  title  is  derived  frgm  its  colour.  I  have  no 
doubt  it  is  synonymous  with  some  other  described  variety,  and 
is  said  to  be  with  the  flame  tokay. 

BLACK  GRAPE  OF  TRIPOLI. 

This  is  a  well  known  grape  of  the  English  collections  ;  the 
berries  are  large,  round  and  black,  and  have  each  but  one 
seed  ;  the  pulp  is  rich  and  juicy  ;  the  foliage  is  vigorous,  and 
puts  on  a  beautiful  appearance  in  autumn. 

WHITE  GRAPE  OF  ALCOBACA. 

This  grape,  carried  from  Portugal  to  England  a  long  time 
since,  where  it  has  been  cultivated  in  their  collections,  has 
white  berries,  which  are  large  and  oval,  with  a  thin  skin  and 
juicy  flesh ;  the  clusters  are  large  and  long,  and  without 
shoulders. 

DAMSON  GRAPE. 

.  ••'•  -  •      / '       "•  •  '&•'*•!•* 

Under  this  name  Speedily  describes  a  vine,  the  berries  of 
which  are  very  large,  oval,  and  of  a  beautiful  purple  colour, 
growing  loosely  on  the  bunch,  which  is  of  large  size ;  the 
leaves  also  large,  and  more  thick  and  succulent  than  those  of 
any  other  sort. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

. 

•<-v;'        5    -  '  ;*•- 

BLACK  CAPE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  42. 

I  saw  this  grape  in  great  perfection  in  1828,  in  the  garden  ot" 
Samuel  G.  Perkins,  Esq.  near  Boston.  It  was  on  the  9th  of 
October,  and  the  fruit  was  then  not  quite  ripe,  the  vine  being  in 
open  culture  ;  the  bunches  were  very  large  and  shouldered, 
some  of  the  largest  which  the  vine  had  produced,  weighed 
two  pounds.  A  shoot  which  one  of  the  vines  had  made  in 
1827,  produced  about  fifty  bunches  in  1828.  The  berries 
varied  a  great  deal  in  size — part  of  them  were  the  largest  I 
had  ever  seen,  and  resembled  good  sized  plums,  others  were 
not  above  two-thirds,  and  some  but  half  the  size  of  the  largest ; 
the  taste  and  flavour  of  the  fruit  were  very  pleasant.  The 
vines,  though  large,  were  regularly  covered  during  the  winter 
months,  as  is  in  fact  the  course  pursued  at  Boston  in  regard 
to  nearly  all  foreign  kinds. 

This  vine  was  originally  brought  in  a  tub  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  without  any  name,  but  from  the  circumstance  of 
its  origin,  received  the  above  title.  It  bears  an  affinity  in 
several  respects  to  the  black  Damascus  and  Morocco,  and  may 
possibly  prove  a  synonyme  of  one  or  the  other.  It  may  justly 
be  deemed  a  most  valuable  acquisition  to  our  stock  of  vines. 

NORTON'S  LARGE  OVAL  PURPLE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  48. 

I  received  this  valuable  grape  from  Dr.  Norton,  of  Rich- 
mond, a  gentleman  distinguished  for  his  general  knowledge 
in  horticultural  pursuits,  and  particularly  so  in  regard  to  the 
vine.  He  remarks  that  its  fruit  is  decidedly  the  finest  he  had 
ever  seen,  and  that  his  French  friends  say  that  they  have  never 
seen  better  in  any  part  of  Europe.  He  also  states  that  the 
vine  resists  more  than  is  usual,  the  influence  of  frost  and  the 
variation  of  the  weather  during  the  winter  season. 

This  vine  was  received  by  Mr.  Wickham,  from  London, 
and  is  therefore,  without  doubt,  known  there  under  another 
name". 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPl^.  113 


EARLY  OVAL. 

By  this  title  a  grape  is  known  and  cultivated  around  Bos- 
ton which  is  much  valued ;  the  fruit  ripens  very  early,  the 
skin  is  thin,  and  the  flavour  delicious  ;  the  berries  grow  close, 
and  are  generally  thinned  out  by  cultivators. 

I  noticed  a  large  number  of  very  thrifty  vines  in  the  nurse- 
ries of  the  Messrs.  Winships  at  Brighton,  in  whose  collection 
are  also  concentrated  a  great  variety  of  the  choicest  kinds  of 
vines  to  be  found  in  the  grape  houses  and  gardens  around 
Boston  ;  in  addition  to  which,  they  have  a  large  assortment  of 
fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  plants,  &c.  which  they  show  great 
enterprise  in  extending. 

JULY  GRAPE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  1. 

Maurillon  hatif,  Duh. 

Madeleine. 

Morillon  Jtatif. 

MorilJon  noir  hatif. 

Petit  morillon  hatif. 

Raisin  precoce. 

Raisin  de  la  madeleine. 

Early  black  cluster. 

Magdalen. 

Vitis  pr&cox  of  Columella. 

Vitis  acinoparvo,  subrotundo,  nigricante,  pracoci. — DUH, 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  small,  of  a  light  green  hue  above 
and  beneath,  and  the  borders  indented  with  large  teeth  some- 
what pointed ;  the  bunches  are  small  and  very  compact  $  the 
berries  which  compose  them  are  also  small,  round,  and  of  a 
blackish  violet  colour,  covered  with  bloom — they  are  sweet 
but  not  high  flavoured,  the  principal  merit  consisting  in  their 
early  maturity,  it  being  the  earliest  of  all  foreign  grapes  ex- 
cept the  one  next  described,  and  in  this  vicinity  ripening  its, 
fruit  early  in  August.  It  serves  as  an  appendage  to  the  des- 
sert where  persons  pride  themselves  on  the  earliest  fruit.  The 

15 


114  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

soils  most  congenial  are  such  as  are  light  and  loose,  and  it 
southern  exposure  is  also  deemed  preferable  in  order  to  ad- 
vance the  maturity,  but  I  have  found  it  do  well  and  ripen  early 
in  very  indifferent  soils  and  unfavorable  exposures,  and  I  con- 
sider it  by  no  means  difficult  in  regard  to  these  points. 

1SCHIA. 

Thrice  bearing  vine. 
Raisin  des  trois  rtcoltes. 
Pr^coce  noir,  ou  des  trois  rtcoltes. 


insana, 

This  peculiar  variety  of  the  vine,  which  is  alluded  to  by 
Virgil  (Geor.  II.)  and  also  by  Pliny  (Hist.  Nat.)  appears  to  be 
a  native  of  the  island  of  Chios,  from  which  it  was  carried  to 
Calabria,  and  the  island  of  Ischia,  where  it  is  known  by  the 
title  of  "Uva  di  tre  volte  1'anno,"  or,  "  Vine  of  three  crops 
a  year." 

The  fruit  possesses  a  most  agreeable  flavour  and  much 
sweetness,  and  has  the  different  qualities  deemed  necessary  for 
making  good  wine.  The  vine  is  of  very  vigorous  growth,  so 
much  so,  that  long  pruning  is  deemed  preferable  to  cutting 
close.  When  the  vine  is  at  the  age  for  bearing,  the  first  and 
largest  crop  ripens  in  latitudes  corresponding  with  New-York, 
and  where  the  vines  have  a  southern  exposure,  from  the  10th 
to  the  15th  of  August;  the  second  crop  from  the  25th  of  Sep- 
tember to  the  5th  October,  and  the  third,  which  is  a  mere  de- 
monstration, from  the  25th  October  to  the  10th  November,  un- 
less the  growth  of  the  vine  should  be  stopped  by  frosts. 

Th'e  two  last  crops  are  produced  by  an  appropriate  system  of 
pruning.  About  the  10th  or  15th  of  June,  just  as  the  blos- 
som has  past  and  the  fruit  becomes  formed,  the  ends  of  the 
strongest  shoots  must  be  cut  off  two  to  three  joints  beyond  the 
last  bunches  —  this  will  cause  new  shoots  immediately  to  spring 
from  the  joints  of  the  new  wood  that  are  left,  which  will  un- 
fold in  due  course  a  second  crop,  and  as  soon  as  the  blossoms  of 
fhese  secondary  clusters  have  fallen,  the  operation  of  pruning  off 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  115 

< 

the  shoots  must  be  renewed  with  these  as  in  the  first  instance, 
which  will  cause  the  formation,  but  with  less  rapidity  than  be- 
fore, of  a  third  set  of  shoots,  from  which  will  be  developed  a 
third  crop  of  clusters.  These  last  it  is  better  never  to  prune  ; 
and  the  fruit  on  them,  which  is  but  scanty,  seldom  attains  to 
maturity  in  high  latitudes. 

A  light  and  rich  soil  is  preferable  for  this  vine,  and  in 
droug  hts  it  would  be  better  to  irrigate  it.  To  obtain  the  three 
crops  in  this  latitude,  espalier  or  lattice  trailing  is  indispensa- 
bly necessary,  accompanied  by  a  southern  exposure. 

In  open  field  culture  two  crops  only,  and  the  second  rather 
indifferent  in  point  of  size,  have  been  obtained  from  it,  but 
in  the  vicinity  of  Paris  in  the  year  1825  this  grape  exceeded 
all  that  had  been  anticipated  from  it ;  vines  trained  in  the  es- 
palier form  gave  an  abundant  crop  fully  ripe  the  18th  of 
August ;  a  profuse  second  crop  was  at  perfect  maturity  on  the 
20th  of  September,  the  fruit  of  which  was  larger  and  in 
greater  quantity  than  the  first ;  and  at  the  same  period  the 
berries  of  the  third  crop  had  formed,  and  the  vines  presented 
a  fourth  crop  of  blossoms.  The  season  being  particularly 
favourable,  the  latter  ripened  on  the  30th  of  October ;  they 
were  abundant,  about  the  size  of  common  peas,  of  good  ap- 
pearance, but  slightly  acid.  Some  writers  have  confounded 
this  with  the  Madeleine  or  Morillon  hatif,  but  their  only  re- 
semblance is  in  colour  and  early  maturity. 

BLACK  TOKAY. 

* 
New  black  cluster. — PR.  CAT.  No.  2. 

This  grape  I  received  from  my  esteemed  friend  the  Hoii* 
Jonathan  Hunewell,  of  Boston,  whose  liberality  and  general 
attainments  in  horticultural  pursuits  are  so  generally  known 
and  appreciated. 

It  is  an  exceedingly  vigorous  and  productive  variety,  and 
supports  the  cold  better  than  most  of  the  foreign  kinds  usually 
cultivated,  and  cuttings  planted  in  my  nursery  have  formed  in 
a  single  season  vines  nearly  or  quite  as  large  as  those  of  ouv 


f* 


116  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

native  varieties  of  the  same  age.  The  fruit  is  of  medium  size, 
black  and  of  pleasant  flavour,  is  suitable  for  the  table,  and 
has  also  the  qualities  requisite  for  making  good  wine.  It  has 
been  called  by  some  persons  Black  cluster,  and  being  re- 
ceived by  me  under  that  title,  and  finding  it  different  from  the 
kind  usually  so  called,  I  enumerated  it  in  my  last  catalogue  as 
the  "  New  black  cluster."  It  is  possible  it  may  prove  syno- 
nymous with  one  of  the  dark  varieties  of  Tokay,  which  will 
be  found  under  the  head  of  wine  grapes. 

PROBYN'S  LARGE  WHITE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  11. 

Under  this  title  I  have  in  cultivation  a  variety  which  I  re- 
ceived from  Edward  Probyn,  Esq.  of  New-York,  in  whose 
garden  is  now  growing  a  very  large,  flourishing,  and  produc- 
tive vine,  which  affords  annually  numerous  shouldered  clusters 
of  excellent  white  fruit ;  the  berry  is  round  and  of  large  size  ; 
the  skin  firm,  and  the  juice  very  sweet  and  delicate.  Some 
bunches  have  been  exhibited  by  that  gentleman,  weighing 
about  1 1  pounds.  I  do  not  mention  it  here  from  a  considera- 
tion that  it  is  distinct  from  all  others,  but  to  show  that  it  is  not 
the  kind  wbich  it  has  been  considered  by  several  intelligent 
horticulturists.  By  such  it  has  been  pronounced  to  be  the 
royal  muscadine,  from  which  I  find  it  to  differ  in  several 
respects  ;  particularly  in  this,  that  it  is  one  of  those  kinds  most 
sensible  to  early  frosts,  and  to  the  severity  of  the  winter  in  our 
country  exposures ;  where,  if  unprotected  at  that  season,  the 
young  vines  are  killed  to  the  ground,  and  older  ones  often  much 
injured  ;  whereas  the  royal  muscadine  is  well  known  to  be  one 
of  those  which  best  support  the  cold.  It  is  doubtless  a  variety 
introduced  from  the  south  of  France,  or  some  other  southern 
climate,  or  perhaps  a  seedling  from  some  grape  from  that 
quarter.  Mr.  Probyn  states,  that  his  vines  support  the  severest 
winters  entirely  uninjured,  although  he  affords  them  no  pro- 
tection. But  this  is  to  be  attributed  to  their  being  in  a  city 
garden,  where  the  great  shelter  and  ameliorated  atmosphere 
consequent  on  such  a  congregated  mass  of  dwellings,  generally 
cause  the  most  tender  southern  varieties  to  succeed. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


WALKER'S  LARGE  WHITE.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  10. 

This  is  a  very  large  and  fine  grape  ;  the  colour,  as  the  title 
indicates,  is  white,  the  form  oval,  and  the  taste  and  flavour  very 
agreeable  ;  the  bunches  are  shouldered  and  very  large,  and 
have  received  the  encomiums  of  several  members  of  our  Hor- 
ticultural Society.  It  is  very  distinct  from  the  preceding,  and 
the  fruit  of  larger  size.  The  vine,  which  is  the  parent  of 
those  found  in  our  collections,  is  growing  in  the  garden  of 
the  late  Dr.  Walker  of  New-York,  to  whose  politeness, 
and  that  of  his  son,  I  am  indebted  for  the  vines  in  my  posses- 
sion. 

ROUGH  BLACK,  GIBBS.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  142. 

This  variety  was  received  from  the  imperial  garden  at 
Schoenbrun,  near  Vienna,  by  Col.  Gibbs,  of  this  island,  to 
whose  -politeness  and  liberality  I  am  indebted  for  it,  as  well  as 
for  many  other  varieties  received  by  him  from  the  same  source, 
to  which  I  have  added  his  cognomen. 

This  vine  is  prolific  in  its  crops,  and  the  grapes  are  consi- 
dered very  good. 

AUSTRIAN  MUSCADEL,  GIBBS. 

This  is  from  the  same  collection  as  the  preceding,  and  ought 
probably  to  have  been  placed  with  the  Muscat  class.  The 
vine  is  hardy  and  exceedingly  prolific,  but  the  grapes  ripen 
late  ;  the  bunches  are  large  and  the  fruit  white,  but  it  has  not 
yet  sufficiently  matured  here  to  pronounce  upon  its  quality. 
It  needs  short  pruning,  and  would  also  succeed  better  further 
south. 

The  following  additional  varieties  now  in  my  vineyard  ^ 
received  from  the  same  source  —  Queen,  Blue  Sylvan,  Rough 
white,  Red  cruger,  Little  silver  white,  Early  Leipsic,  Red 
Sheerkat,  Tckete-tara-gomer,  and  some  others,  including  the 
Blue  cartager,  which  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  wine 


118  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

grapes.  The  Austrian  varieties,  which  are  principally  derived 
from  the  Hungarian  collections,  it  is  expected  will  become  in 
most  cases  acclimated  to  our  country.  In  regard  to  the  suc- 
cess of  those  in  Mr.  Gibbs'  collection,  that  gentleman  has  given 
some  details  on  the  subject  at  different  periods  in  the  Ame- 
rican Farmer. 

BLACK  PARSLEY  LEAVED. 

Lombardy  of  some  American  collections. 

I  have  in  my  vineyard  a  variety  of  the  parsley-leaved  grape 
which  produces  black  fruit,  and  which  I  do  not  see  mentioned 
in  the  European  authors,  unless  it  be  synonymous  with  the 
red  parsley-leaved  already  described.  I  find  this  has  been 
sometimes  called  the  Lombardy,  meaning  doubtless  the  Flame 
tokay,  the  two  latter  names  being  used  by  some  authors  sy- 
nonymously ;  but  it  can  scarcely  be  that,  as  the  colour  of  the 
grape  of  the  one  I  am  now  describing  is  stated  to  be  of  much 
darker  colour  than  the  fruit  of  the  Flame  tokay  attains.  The 
foliage  is  very  lasciniated,  and  resembles  the  others  of  the  same 
class. 

QUEEN,  GIBBS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  131. 

• , 

This  has  round  berries  of  good  size,  which  are  white  with 
a  bloom,  and  a  little  coloured  on  the  sun  side  ;  they  are  sweet, 
and  of  very  pleasant  flavour,  and  the  bunches  are  also  of  good 
size. 

FENDANT  VERT.— PR.  CAT.  No.  121. 

This  grape,  which  I  received  from  Lausanne,  (Switzerland) 
is  a  native  of  the  canton  of  Vaud.  It  is  a  table  fruit  re* 
sembling  the  White  chasselas,  and  delicious  to  eat.  It  also 
yields  a  wine  like  the  Rhenish,  is  one  of  the  kinds  least  sen- 
sible to  the  cold,  and,  what  is  deemed  of  great  importance 
there,  the  produce  Js  not  injured  by  manuring.  Its  title  is 
derived  from  the  circumstance  of  the  berries  being  crisp,  and 
crackling  in  the  teeth  when  eaten- 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  119 

Having  made  the  request  of  my  Lausanne  correspondent, 
who  owns  a  vineyard  and  is  extremely  intelligent  on  the  sub- 
ject, to  send  me  such  vines  only  as  are  there  cultivated  with 
most  success,  he  transmitted  to  me  eighteen  varieties,  which 
will  be  referred  to  and  enumerated  in  the  course  of  the 
work. 


In  addition  to  the  table  varieties  of  the  grape  which  I  have 
already  described,  there  are  a  number  not  so  generally  known, 
but  which  are  most  highly  valued  for  the  same  purpose,  in  the 
southern  and  middle  parts  of  France,  of  which  I  will  here  give 
a  list ;  the  numbers  which  precede  them  refer  to  their  enume- 
ration in  the  author's  catalogue. 

Black  round  grapes. 

218  Peyran  noir,  238  Terre  moureau  noir, 

230  Raisin  piune,  239  Terre  de  barri  noir, 

245  Ugne  noir. 

Black  oval  grapes. 

247  Aspirant,  267  Raisin  noir  de  pagez, 

Ouliven,  273  Ulliade,  Baches  du  Rhone. 

274  Ulliade  rouge. 

White,  or  yellow  oval  grapes. 

280  Calitor  blanc,  296  Panse  commune, 

286  Dure  peau,  88  musquee, 

288  Galet  blanc,  299  Picardan, 

293  Joannen  blanc,  304  Raisin  blanc  de  pages. 

305  Raisin  des  dames. 

'.,*#•  'v'.i^ 

White,  or  yellow  round  grapes. 

314  Augibert  blanc,  Raisin  de  Notre  Dame, 

319  Clarette  ronde,  355  Ugne  blanche, 

323  Doucinelle,  356  de  Malade, 

357  Ugne  Lombarde. 


120 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


Gray,  or  violet  oval  grapes. 

359  Clarette  rose,  360  Damas  violet, 

362  Martinen. 

Gray,  or  violet  round  grapes. 

364  Grec  rose,  369  Plant  de  la  barre  rouge, 

371  Ugne  de  Marseille. 

The  following  are  also  mentioned  in  French  lists,  as  valu- 
able table  grapes. 

154  Blussard  blanc,  Pernan, 

155  Blussard  noir,  or  Be-  261  Perlossette, 
losar  a  gros  grains.  57  Precoce  blanc, 
Perle  rose,  370  Raisin  de  Genes, 

166  St.  Antoine, 

With  the  fund  of  information  furnished  by  the  various 
authors  that  have  been  enumerated  as  the  basis,  great  advan- 
tages are  afforded  to  future  experimentalists,  to  extricate  the 
history  of  the  vine  from  a  labyrinth  of  confused  names,  and 
perhaps  no  means  would  be  as  effectual  in  attaining  this  end, 
as  critical  examinations  made  by  the  members  of  the  various 
agricultural  and  horticultural  societies  which  now  every  where 
exist,  of  the  kinds  cultivated  in  their  respective  vicinities  ;  the 
result  would  no  doubt  terminate  in  the  formation  of  a  correct 
nomenclature,  more  particularly  with  regard  to  the  most  esti- 
mable varieties. 

At  present,  we  are  very  deficient  in  information,  even  in 
regard  to  the  native  varieties  of  our  own  country,  and  the 
number  of  valuable  vines  that  have  been  brought  to  notice, 
within  the  few  years  that  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  subject, 
as  will  be  particularly  detailed  under  the  head  of  "  American 
Vineyards,"  prove  that  no  historian  bears  witness  of  any  clime 
which  was  originally  so  rich  in  indigenous  varieties,  the  result 
of  the  spontaneous  efforts  of  nature,  unaided  by  the  arts  or 
culture  of  man. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  «RAPES. 


WINE  GRAPES. 

1  will  now  proceed  to  describe  the  varieties  which  are  most 
generally  used  for  making  wine,  and  which  form  the  major 
part  in  the  finest  known  vineyards.  Under  this  head  are  neces- 
sarily included  many  varieties  that  are  very  estimable  as  table 
grapes,  but  whose  most  important  use  in  foreign  countries  be- 
ing for  wine,  they  are  consequently  placed  under  this  head. 

BLACK  CLUSTER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  94. 

Maurillon,  Duh.  Manosquen. 

Maurillon  noir.  Merille. 

Morillon  noir.  Noirien,  or  Noirier. 

Pineau  noir,  of  Burgundy.  Massoutel. 

Pineau  de  Bourgogne,  Chaptal.  Gribalet  noir. 

Auvernat,  or  Auvernas.  Farinau. 

Auvernat  noir.  True  Burgundy. 

Pimbart.  Small  black  cluster. 
Black  Orleans. 

Vitis  uva  mediocri,  sublaxd,  acinis  didcibus,  nigricantibiis, 

This  variety  has  leaves  slightly  five  lobed  and  very  regularly 
indented ;  the  bunch  is  of  moderate  size  and  shouldered ;  the 
berries  are  rather  oblong  and  hang  loosely,  and  are  about  the 
size  of  the  white  muscadine  ;  the  taste  is  pleasant,  with  a  pecu- 
liar flavour.  It  is  not  considered  a  table  fruit,  but  is  highly 
prized  for  wine,  and  ripens  its  crops  unifoimly,  and  at  the 
same  time  as  the  white  chasselas.  It  stands  the  frost 
well,  being  one  of  the  most  hardy  kinds.  The  crops  are 
not  great,  but  the  wine  is  rich,  keeps  well,  and  has  an  agree- 
able bouquet.  The  Maurillon  class,  of  which  the  finest  vine- 
yards of  Burgundy  are  composed,  and  the  different  varieties 
of  which  are  deemed  the  staple  of  the  vineyards  of  France, 
owes  its  name,  which  is  derived  from  the  word  maure,  to  the 
black  colour  of  this  the  original  variety,  and  many  other 
black  grapes  which  are  not  of  the  family  of  the  Morillon  of 

i6 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

Pineau,  are  called  in  other  French  vineyards  by  the  names  ot 
Maurillon  noir,  &c.  and  this  is  known  under  all  the  appella- 
tions given  as  synonymes.  It  ripens  here  the  beginning  of 
September.  The  class  of  maurillons  originally  came  from 
Italy  ;  but  this  is  the  only  one  which  has  retained  its  primitive 
name,  and  is  described  by  Baccius,  whose  treatise  on  the  vine 
was  written  in  1566.  It  constitutes  rather  a  bad  comment  on 
the  theory  of  "  exhausted  varieties,"  that  this  very  aged  vine 
should  have  the  preference  in  France  at  this  day  over  all  others. 
Under  the  title  of  Pineau  or  Pinot  a  great  number  of  red 
and  black  varieties  of  grapes  are  found  in  various  French 
vineyards,  which  are  in  fact  totally  different  in  character,  and 
serve  only  to  make  inferior  wine  ;  great  care  and  circumspec- 
tion are  therefore  necessary  to  obtain  the  genuine  kinds.  The 
title  Pineau  was  originally  applied  to  such  varieties  only  as 
produced  berries  shaped  like  the  pine  cone,  but  some  kinds 
having  round  berries  are  now  justly  included  in  the  same  class, 
being  varieties  of  the  same  family,  similar  in  quality  but  vary- 
ing in  form. 


WHITE  MORILLON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  95. 

Maurillon  blame.  Duh.  Weiss -kloefner* 

Morillon  blanc.  Moruain. 

Auvernat  blanc.  Daune. 

Mdier,  or  Mdier  blanc.  Daunerie. 

Weiss-klefeln  blanc.  Beaunier. 

Burot.  Wliite  auvernat. 

Vitis  priecox  ;  uva  elongatd,  acino  rotunda,  dbojlavescenti,  et  dulci. 

The  clusters  of  this  variety  are  longer  than  those  of  the 
preceding,  and  the  berries  are  nearly  round,  of  .moderate  size, 
not  very  thick  set,  of  a  greenish  white,  which  becomes  blended 
with  pale  yellow  at  full  maturity ;  they  are  rather  more  sweet 
and  agreeable  than  the  black  variety. 

The  leaves  are  slightly  lobed,  and  are  bordered  with  large 
indentures  ;  they  are  of  considerable  size,  green  on  the  upper 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.. 

* 

side,  whitish  and  downy  beneath,  and  supported  on  large  long 
petioles. 

This  grape  ripens  here  at  the  end  of  August  or  beginning 
of  September,  is  a  pleasant  early  table  fruit  and  makes  good 
wine,  which  keeps  well ;  the  grapes  may  also  be  kept  fresh 
through  the  season.  It  is  said  to  thrive  best  on  sloping  ground 
inclining  to  the  west  or  south,  but  I  consider  it  by  no  means 
difficult  in  this  respect  as  I  have  haa  some  vines  for  several 
years  in  a  most  unfavourable  locality  where  they  have  never 
failed  to  do  well.  It  has  the  same  hardihood  in  supporting 
frost  that  is  common  to  the  class  generally. 

PINEAU-FRANC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  102. 

Franc-pineau,  Duh.  Pinet. 

Bon  plant.  Pignolet. 

Raisin  de  Bourgogne,  ^  Pinsale. 

Maurillon  noir,  >  Erroneously.  Pincaou. 

Morillon  noir,  y 

Vitis  acinis  minoribus,  oblongis,  dulcissimus,  GARID. 

The  bunch  of  this  grape  is  small,  of  rather  a  conical  form, 
supported  by  a  very  short  peduncle,  and  formed  of  oblong 
berries  closely  set,  of  a  flesh  coloured  red.  The  leaves  are 
dark  green,  lightest  beneath,  and  covered  on  both  sides  when 
they  first  expand  with  down,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the 
Morillon  noir  ;  they  are  supported  on  long  petioles,  and  are  di- 
vided into  three  principal  lobes,  which  are  slightly  indented  on 
their  edges. 

This  vine  is  not  very  productive,  but  its  fruit  has  an  excel- 
lent taste  and  produces  the  most  delicate  wines  of  Burgundy. 
The  wood  is  red  and  the  joints  near  to  each  other.  It  will  be 
perceived  that  this  grape  is  known  by  various  names  in  the 
different  French  vineyards,  and  it  is  often  confused  with  the 
other  varieties  of  the  Pineau  or  Morillon. 


124 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


GRAY  BURGUNDY.— PB.  CAT.  No.  100. 


Pineau  gris.  Le  Soli. 

Griset  blancj  Duh.  Le  Grennetin. 

Petit  muscadet.]  Fromenteau. 

Auvernat  gris.  Gentil  gris. 

Ringris.  Weiss  Tdcfeln  griss 

Malvoisic.  Grau  kloefner. 

Pouitti.  Bureau. 
Gray  Auvernat. 

Vitis  minis,  minonbus,  duldbus  et  griseis,  GARIU. 

This  has  leaves  of  a  lively  green  hue  and  slightly  lobed  ; 
the  clusters  are  short,  moderately  large,  composed  of  round 
berries  which  are  pretty  close,  of  a  grayish  colour,  and  of  a 
sweet  and  perfumed  flavour.  There  were  vineyards  formerly 
in  France  composed  entirely  of  this  grape,  and  the  fine  vine- 
yard of  Pouilli  is  still  so  in  a  great  measure.  It  is  also  found 
in  the  vineyards  of  Provence,  and  is  known  in  the  different 
districts  by  a  great  variety  of  names,  and  often  confused  with 
other  varieties  as  the  synonymes  evince.  The  white  wine  made 
from  it  is  in  high  esteem,  and  deemed  the  third  best  in  France. 
It  abounds  in  alcohol  and  has  much  body,  is  clear  and  mellow 
with  a  fine  bouquet.  The  vine  is  said  to  succeed  best  in  a 
sandy  or  gravelly  soil,  and  on  inclined  and  warm  exposi- 
tions ;  but  a  celebrated  vigneron  has  informed  me  that  it  will 
succeed  in  almost  any  situation  that  is  open  and  airy,  It  is 
very  hardy  and  one  of  the  least  difficult  in  point  of  culture, 
and  in  addition  to  its  wine  properties,  is  esteemed  as  a  table 
fruit. 

BOURGUIGNON  NOIR,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  104. 

Trousseau  du  Jura.  Damas. 

Tresseau.  Grosse-serine. 

Plant  dy  Aries.  Pied-rouge. 

Plant  de  Roi.  Cdte  rouge. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  125 

Boucares.  Gourdoux. 

Etrange.  Rouge  de  Bourgogne. 

Red  Burgundy. 

Vitis  acino  oblongo,  minus  acuto,  w'gro  et  duld,  GARID. 

This  grape  has  in  its  berry  a  great  resemblance  to  the 
Pineau-franc,  but  it  is  less  elongated  in  proportion  to  its  size, 
and  the  bunches  are  not  so  compactly  formed.  Its  leaves  are 
rather  obtuse  at  the  apex,  divided  into  five  distinct  lobes,  regu- 
larly indented  and  supported  upon  a  short  very  red  petiole. 
This  variety  is  also  known  under  a  great  many  common  names, 
as  is  designated  by  the  synonymes.  It  yields  good  crops,  and 
succeeds  well  on  strong  soils,  and  is,  in  common  with  its  con- 
geners of  the  pineau  family,  deemed  among  the  most  valu- 
able that  are  cultivated  for  wine. 

BOURGUIGNON  BLANC,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  105. 

White  Burgundy.  Mele. 

Pineau  blanc.  Gueuche  blanc. 

Feuille  ronde.  Menu. 

Picarneau.  Gouche. 

Vitis  uvd  conferta,  acino  ovato,  viridi  lutescenie. 

The  leaf  is  large,  slightly  covered  with  down,  and  of  a 
much  paler  green  beneath  than  above,  indented  on  its  edge, 
but  not  distinctly  lobed.  The  clusters  are  composed  of  ber- 
ries somewhat  oblong  and  very  closely  set,  which  become  of  a 
fine  yellow  colour  at  the  period  of  maturity. 

AUVERNAT  ROUGE  CLAIR.— PR.  CAT.  No.  98. 

Rose  Burgundy.  Fromenteau,  Sprenger. 

Gris  rouge.  Gentil  rose  ? 

Rothliehtner. 

This  grape  is  much  cultivated  in  .the  vineyards  of  Cham- 
pagne,  in  connexion  with  the  Auvernat  blanc  and  Auvernat 


126  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

*> 

gris,  to  form  the  far  famed  wine  of  that  name.  It  resemble? 
in  its  general  qualities  the  other  varieties  of  the  same  family, 
its  principal  variation  being  in  its  colour.  It  ripens  also  at 
the  same  time,  maturing  its  fruit  here  early  in  September ;  the 
vine  is  hardy  and  of  easy  culture.  In  the  vineyards  of  that 
part  of  France  situated  on  the  Rhine,  it  is  extensively  culti- 
vated, and  succeeds  well,  yielding  abundant  crops  and  afford- 
ing excellent  wine,  which  has  much  body  and  an  aromatic 
flavour. 

In  addition  to  those  described  there  are  other  varieties  of 
the  Pineau  or  Morillon  family,  such  as  the  Morillon  gros  vio- 
let, Pineau  de  coulange,  Pineau  fleuri,  and  various  others. 
The  Morillon  panache  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  striped 
Aleppo  among  the  table  grapes. 

The  appellations  Pineau,  Auvernat,  and  Morillon  are  often 
indiscriminately  applied  to  different  varieties  of  this  family. — 
The  varieties  are  also  known  by  a  greater  number  of  names 
as  synonymes  than  any  other  class,  which  arises  from  their 
being  far  more  extensively  cultivated,  and  from  their  having 
received  new  titles  in  the  different  localities  to  which  they  have- 
been  from  time  to  time  transplanted. 

MEUNIER,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  93. 

Maurillon-Taconn£.  Meunier  a  saint  noir. 

Fromentt.  Farineux  noir. 

Hesseau.  Noirin. 
Savagnien  noir. 

mUer  grape,  *  Of  the  English. 

Miller  s  Burgundy,  ) 

Yitis  subhirsuta  ;  uvd  brevi,  crassa  ;  acino  nigro  rotundo. 

This  variety  has  considerable  affinity  to  the  -Catalan.  Its 
leaves  are  trilobate,  the  two  lateral  ones  being  crenate  ;  when 
young  they  are  covered  with  white  down,  which  easily  dis- 
tinguishes them,  from  which  circumstance  this  vine  has  acquired 
the  title  here  adopted.  The  cluster  is  short  and  thick,  com- 
posed of  round  black  berries,  which  are  of  good  size  and  set 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


127 


rather  close  ;  the  juice  is  pleasant,  sparkling,  and  vinous.  It 
is  pretty  common  in  French  vineyards,  and  is  cultivated  on 
account  of  yielding  good  crops,  and  enduring  for  a  long 
period.  It  succeeds  best  in  sandy  and  light  soils,  but  will 
flourish  in  almost  any  open  and  dry  location.  It  is  very  hardy, 
of  easy  culture,  ripens  here  early  in  September,  and  answers 
very  well  as  an  early  table  grape.  Some  English  authors 
state  that  it  takes  its  name  from  Millet  who  raised  it  from  seed, 
but  the  French  give  a  better  reason  for  its  title  as  mentioned 
above,  and  they  are  no  doubt  correct. 

SAVAGNIEN  BLANC,  DUH. 
Meunier  blanc.  Matinie. 

Meunier  a  saint  blanc.  Uni-blanc. 

White  Miller  grape. 

Vitis  subhirsuta,  uvd  crassd,  acino  albo,  subovato. 

This  variety  differs  from  the  preceding  by  the  minor  lobes 
of  the  leaves  being  more  distinct,  and  its  berries  being  white, 
rather  larger,  and  a  little  oval.  It  must  not  be  confused  with 
the  sauvignon,  which  is  a  very  distinct  fruit.  This  vine  must 
be  the  variety  of  the  Meunier  described  and  figured  by  some 
authors  with  white  berries,  and  also  called  by  others  White 
Miller  grape.  The  fruit  is  sweet  and  agreeable  in  flavour, 
and  makes  passable  wine.  The  vine  will  thrive  in  a  meagre 
soil  and  is  not  readily  injured  by  frost,  but  when  the  blossoms 
are  destroyed  by  it  they  are  not  renewed  that  season.  It  is 
generally  cultivated  in  French  vineyards,  and  is  not  subject  to 
a  blight  of  its  blossoms. 

WHITE  SAUVIGNON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  106. 
Suavignon,  Duh.  Servignen. 

Sauvignon  blanc.  Sucrin. 

Saumgnen.  Fie. 

Maurillon  blanc,  erroneously. 
Vitis  serofina,  aeinis  minor ibus,  acutis^Jlavo-albidis,  dulcissimia. 

'>  •"•*j|i  v.'1  .    .'      .  .  f.   • 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  scarcely  lobed  at  all,  but  the  in- 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

dentures  are  pretty  deep  and  very  regular.  The  bunch  is 
short,  formed  of  rather  small  berries,  which  are  white  approach- 
ing to  a  yellow  hue,  more  particularly  on  the  sunny  side,  where 
at  the  period  of  maturity  they  are  covered  with  small  brick 
coloured  points  of  remarkable  appearance.  This  vine  was 
formerly  far  more  common  in  the  French  vineyards  than  it  is 
at  the  present  day.  As  the  fruit  possesses  much  perfume,  it 
imparts  to  the  wine  a  peculiar  character ;  and  not  being 
greatly  sought  after,  the  culture  of  this  vine  has  been  conse- 
quently neglected.  It  ripens  here  early  in  September.  I 
have  a  variety  received  from  an  American  collection  under 
the  name  of  Red  Sauvignon ;  but  as  I  do  not  perceive  such  an 
one  named  in  the  French  catalogues,  I  presume  there  must  be 
some  error  in  regard  to  it,  and  that  it  is  synonymous  with  some 
variety  known  under  a  different  title. 

LE  MOURVEGUE,  Dun. 
Mourvedt.  Mourvebrt. 

Vitis  serotina;  adnis  nigris,  mediocribus,  rotundis,  duldbus. 

This  variety  is  very  common  in  the  north-west  part  of 
France,  where  it  is  known  by  different  titles.  It  is  not  pre- 
ferred by  those  who  are  particularly  tenacious  of  the  quality  of 
the  wine,  and  are  regardless  of  the  quantity  of  the  produce ; 
the  berries  are  black,  round,  of  pleasant  taste  and  medium  size. 

MOURVEDE  FARINOUS,  DUH. 

Vitis  serotina  adnis  s^ibamplis,  nigris,  rotundis,  tyc. — GOUPFE. 

This  variety  only  differs  from  the  preceding  in  its  berries, 
which  are  larger,  and  have  an  appearance  as  if  dusted  over. 
These  two  varieties  are  among  the  choicest  for  making  wine, 
and  are  not  less  agreeable  for  the  table.  As  they  are  late  in 
the  period  of  vegetation,  they  are  very  hardy,  and  succeed 
readily  in  localities  exposed  to  cold  and  humidity.  Their 
juice  is  high  coloured  and  sweet,  and  is  in  France  much  used 
in  making  a  kind  of  domestic  ratafia,  which  is  much  sought 
after,  especially  when  it  is  prepared  with  care. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  129 

LE  BRUN  FOURCA,  DUH.-- PK.  CAT.  No.  156. 
Gros  Taulier,  of  some  vineyards.  Plant  de  Bordeaux. 

Vitis  uvd  ampld  ;  acinis  nigris,  magnis,  rotundis,  fyc. 

The  title  here  adopted  from  Duhamel,  is  that  by  which  this 
vine  is  known  in  Provence,  and  it  is  found  under  culture  in  all 
the  vineyards  of  that  district  of  France,  and  considered  excel- 
lent for  wine  and  pleasant  for  the  fable.  Although  called 
Gros  taulier  by  some  persons,  it  differs  however  from  the 
taulier,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter.  Its  shoots  are 
not  rampant,  and  the  branches  are  not  so  red  ;  its  leaves  are 
larger,  of  a  darker  green,  and  more  deeply  serrated.  It  is 
not  so  early  as  the  Taulier,  but  earlier  than  the  Mourvede, 
and  also  more  easily  affected  by  frosts  than  the  latter.  It 
is  cultivated  in  the  same  expositions,  and  its  fruit  is  not  sub- 
ject to  rot. 

LE  TAULIER. 

Plant  de  Manosque.  Manosquen. 

Vitis  acino  nigro,  rotundo,  duriusculo,  suavis,  saporis,  succo  ragro,  labia,  inficieuti. 

This  vine  seems  nearly  allied  to  the  Pineau  of  Burgundy, 
which  forms  the  greater  portion  of  the  vineyards  of  that  pro- 
vince, and  which  should  not  be  confounded  with  the  Franc- 
pineau.  There  are  few  grapes  which  have  such  a  variety  of 
names.  The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  round  and  indented,  green 
and  shining  above,  and  light  green  beneath ;  the  peduncle  is 
red,  and  the  shoots  are  very  rampant.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
estimable  varieties  that  can  be  cultivated ;  it  yields  a  strong 
bodied  wine  that  is  rich  and  pleasant,  and  very  suitable  for 
transportation,  and  the  fruit,  although  the  skin  is  thick,  ripens 
perfectly. 

LE  CATALAN,  DUH. 

Vitis  acino  subrotundo,  nigrifmoUL 

This  variety,  very  common  in  Provence,  matures  its  fruit  at 

17 


130  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

the  same  time  as  the  Mourvede,  with  which  it  is  often  con- 
founded. The  leaves  and  wood  of  the  two  resemble  each 
other,  but  there  is  a  wide  difference  in  their  fruit.  The  Cata- 
lan has  a  woody  stem,  the  bunches  are  shouldered  or  winged, 
the  berries  are  generally  larger  and  their  juice  is  very  sweet ; 
the  Mourvede,  on  the  contrary,  has  a  delicate  stem,  the  bunches 
are  of  small  size  and  not  winged,  the  berries  closely  set,  and 
they  have  not  a  very  high  flavour,  being,  as  Garidel  expresses 
it,  minus  suavi. 

M.  David  states  his  having  formed  a  plantation  with 
vines,  which  he  had  received  direct  from  Alicant,  and  that  he 
found  they  corresponded  both  in  growth  and  in  fruit  with  the 
Catalan,  which  abounds  in  the  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Aix. 

Although  people  often  confound  the  wines  made  from  the 
Catalan  with  those  of  the  Mourvede,  it  is  proper  to  observe, 
that  there  is  some  difference  between  them.  Those  of  the 
Petit-Mourvede,  or  le  Mourvegue,  contain  a  greater  portion  of 
colouring  juice,  and  are  more  convert  and  more  generous.  The 
Catalan  is  preferred  for  vineyards,  because  it  yields  the  most 
without  any  sensible  depreciation  in  the  quality.  This,  and 
the  two  preceding  varieties,  merit  a  preference  in  vineyards 
where  it  is  an  object  to  have  wines  that  will  keep  a  long  time, 
or  such  as  are  suitable  for  exportation. 

The  wine  made  from  the  two  sorts  of  the  Mourvede,  even 
when  the  fruit  has  acquired  its  full  maturity,  is  austere  when 
new,  but  it  acquires  in  a  short  period  its  mellow  and  saccharine 
flavour.  The  cultivators  consider  its  use  as  beneficial,  and 
prefer  it  to  all  other  wines,  because  it  is  more  nourishing  and 
strengthening. 

ALBILLO  CASTILLAN,  DUH. 

Vitis  uva  subcylindrica ;  acinis  obovatis,  confertis,  mollibus,  viridibus  succosis&imif. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  a  little  irregular,  commonly 
palmated,  a  little  wrinkled  and  uneven  on  the  upper  side,  and 
thickly  covered  with  very  close  white  down  on  the  under  side. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  1J1 

The  clusters  are  of  medium  size  as  well  as  the  berries,  which 
are  so  excessively  delicate  and  succulent,  that  the  juice  entirely 
runs  out  with  the  least  pressure.  Their  taste  is  very  sweet 
and  pleasant,  but  they  are  not  high  flavoured,  and  they  ripen 
very  early. 

The  title  Albillo,  is  a  general  term  under  which  the 
Spaniards,  and  particularly  the  vignerons  of  Andalusia,  con- 
nect many  classes  of  grapes,  which  are  evidently  very  nearly 
allied  to  each  other,  and  which  they  afterwards  designate 
separately  by  adding  a  second  title,  pretty  much  in  the  same 
manner  that  botanists  apply  specific  names. 

JOANNEN  BLANC.— PR.  CAT.  No.  293. 

Jouanen,  Duh.  Raisin  de  St.  Jean. 

St.  Jean. 

Vitis  prcecox,  acino  acuto,  siibviridi,  dulci  et  molli. 

This  variety  is  rather  common  in  the  vineyards  of  Provence 
where  it  receives  its  title,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  ripening 
just  after  St.  John's  day.  Its  leaves  are  slightly  lobed,  some- 
times to  so  small  a  degree  as  not  to  be  noticed.  The  fruit 
ripens  with  me  the  twentieth  of  September  ;  the  bunch  is  of 
medium  size,  composed  of  oval  formed  berries,  of  a  greenish 
white  colour,  which  are  very  sweet.  There  is  a  sub-variety 
with  black  berries,  which  is  commonly  called  Jouanen  negre. 

DOUCEAGNE,  Dun. 

Vitis  prcecox,  acino  rotunda,  subviridi  et  duldssimo. 

This  variety  is  not  of  as  early  maturity  as  the  preceding,  but 
ripens  as  soon  as  most  other  kinds,  and  it  is  also  cultivated  in 
the  vineyards  of  Provence.  The  berries  are  white,  round, 
and  sweet. 


v 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

DOUCINELI.E  NOIRE,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  189. 

Vitis  uvu  media ;  acino  subrolundo,  ex  violacco  nigricante,  dwro. 

The  leaf  of  this  vine  is  large,  divided  by  slight  lobes,  and 
bordered  with  large  and  unequal  indentures.  The  bunch  is 
five  or  six  inches  long,  composed  of  berries  which  are  very 
close  and  compressed,  of  a  dark  violet  colour  approaching  to 
black,  with  a  thick  and  brittle  skin.  It  is  cultivated  in  the 
vineyards  of  Provence. 

JAEN  NOIR,  Dun. 

Vitis  uvd  magndj  acinis  confertis,  duris,  negcrrimis,  cute  crassissinu/. 

The  leaves  of  this  are  palmated  or  lobed,  of  a  dark  green, 
which  becomes  tinted  with  a  reddish  violet  as  the  fruit  ap- 
proaches to  maturity ;  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves  are 
covered  with  down,  which  does  not  adhere  very  closely.  The 
bunches  are  large,  weighing  in  some  cases  five  pounds,  com- 
posed of  berries  of  medium  size,  round  and  closely  set,  with  a 
very  thick  and  very  hard  skin,  which  is  of  exceeding  black 
colour.  There  are  many  sub-varieties  of  this  grape  which  are 
not  of  so  dark  a  colour,  and  there  is  even  one  which  produces 
white  fruit.  In  all,  or  nearly  all  the  provinces  of  Spain,  they 
cultivate  some  varieties  of  grapes  under  the  name  of  Jaen,  or 
Jaen  blanc,  but  this  is  the  only  one  or  the  principal  one  from 

which  wine,  is  made  in  various  places. 

• 

BOUTEILLANT,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  177. 
Cayan,  of  Marseilles. 

Vitis  acino  nigro,  magno,  rubenti  et  subaustero. 

This  variety  is  common  in  the  vineyards  in  the  environs  of 

Aix,  in  Provence,  and  is  also  cultivated  at  Marseilles,  where  it 

,is  known  by  the  title  given  as  a  synonyme.     The  grape  is 

large  and  black,  and  is  of  the  first  quality  for  wine  as  well  as 

for  the  table, 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES,  133 

UNI  BLANC,  DUH. 

Vitisfertillissima,  uvd  laxd,  elongata,  fyc. 

Among  other  characteristics  this  vine  differs  from  the  pre- 
ceding by  its  leaves  of  rather  round  form,  very  rarely  lobed, 
and  not  very  dark  green  ;  the  cluster  is  loose,  very  long,  com- 
posed of  round  berries,  which  are  of  a  greenish  colour,  but 
become  russet  next  the  sun  and  sometimes  a  little  reddish ;  the 
skin  is  thick  and  the  flavour  of  the  fruit  sweet  without  insi- 
pidity. This  grape  is  cultivated  in  Provence,  and  is  one  of 
those  which  keep  well. 

UNI  ROUGE,  DUH. 

Vitis  uvd  longiori,  acino  rufescenti  et  dulci, 

This  variety  is  also  cultivated  in  Provence ;  the  flowers 
are  very  subject  to  blight,  which  often  renders  it  sterile,  but 
when  it  is  productive,  it  yields  exquisite  grapes,  which  make 
excellent  wine.  There  are  two  other  kinds,  which  are  consi- 
dered as  subvarieties,  and  are  mentioned  by  Garidel ;  one  is 
called  in  Provence  Uni-rouge-de-Partus,  and  only  differs  from 
the  above  in  the  colour  of  its  berries,  which  are  of  a  deeper 
red  ;  the  other  produces  berries  which  are  harder  and  sweeter, 
the  bunch  is  also  smaller  and  more  elongated,  and  the  fruit 
does  not  redden  until  it  has  attained  to  perfect  maturity. 

UNI-NOIR,  DUH. 

Uni-negr£,  of  Provence. 

Vitis  uvd  longiori,  acinis  raris,  nigro-rubentibus,  subausteris. 

This  vine  is  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  of  Provence,  where 
it  is  known  by  the  second  title  given  above.  It  does  not  make 
much  wood,  and  its  branches  are  generally  very  short.  The 
fruit  does  not  yield  very  good  wine. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

PLANT  ESTRANI,  Dun. 

Vitis  uva  perampld,  acino  rotunda,  subflavo,  pimctis  nigris  notato,  fyc. 

The  fruit  of  this  variety  is  round,  large,  of  rather  an  amber 
colour,  marked  with  small  black  points,  and  has  a  very  sweet 
and  agreeable  flavour.  It  is  pretty  common  in  the  vineyards 
of  several  districts  in  the  environs  of  Aix,  in  Provence. 

LISTAN  COMMUN,  Dun. 

Vitis  uva  magnd,  acinis  ovato-subghbosis,  subconfertis,  dbis,  cute  tenui. 

This  has  leaves  of  medium  size,  irregularly  palmated,  of  a 
dark  green  above,  and  covered  beneath  with  white  and  close 
down.  The  bunch  is  large,  formed  of  berries  which  are 
rather  small,  almost  uniform  in  size,  a  little  flattened  at  the 
base  and  at  the  top,  and  pretty  closely  set ;  they  are  of  a 
greenish  white  where  they  are  shaded,  and  of  a  rather  dark 
yellowish  gray  where  exposed  to  the  sun.  This  vine  is  found 
in  many  of  the  provinces  of  Spain.  At  San-Lucar,  it  forms 
nineteen-twentieths  of  the  vineyards,  and  is  the  basis  of  all  the 
excellent  wines  of  that  country.  At  Rota  there  are  also  en- 
tire vineyards  composed  of  it.  It  is  one  of  the  varieties  held 
in  most  esteem  at  Malaga  for  making  wine  and  also  for  eating. 
At  Grenada  they  only  cultivate  it  for  the  purpose  of  eating 
the  fruit  when  fresh. 

This  vine  has  several  sub-varieties,  the  two  principal  are, 
one  with  red  fruit,  and  the  other  with  very  black  fruit. 

GROS  MUSCADET,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  31. 

Muscat  fume.  Muscadere . 

FromenM.  Muscadet. 

Malwisie. 
Vitis  Apiana ;  acino  rotunda  etfunwsu. 

Two  varieties  of  the  Muscadet  are  found  in  many  vineyards, 
thele  gros  or  large,  and  the  petit  or  small ;  the  leaf  of  the  one 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  135 

we  are  iiow  describing  is  of  a  dark  green  hue  on  the 
upper  side,  and  of  a  whitish  green  beneath,  but  without 
down  ;  it  is  supported  on  a  long  petiole,  divided  by  five 
nerves,  and  is  slightly  indented  on  its  border  with  only  a  sin- 
gle serrature  of  much  size,  which  is  on  the  right  side.  The 
colour  of  this  grape  is  very  peculiar,  being  between  a  white 
and  a  rose  colour ;  the  bunch  is  of  moderate  size,  as  well  as 
the  fruit,  which  is  extremely  sweet  and  luscious  ;  it  yields  well, 
and  the  fruit  ripens  early  in  September.  I  consider  it  one  of  the 
most  desirable  grapes  for  the  table  which  ripen  at  that  period  ; 
and  on  account  of  its  extreme  sweetness  it  is  a  very  estimable 
variety  to  mingle  in  vineyards  with  grapes  of  harsh  flavour, 
or  in  cases  where  it  is  desirable  to  render  the  taste  of  the  wine 
more  sweet,  and  to  use  it  for  the  purpose  of  an  essence  grape. 
The  vine  is  very  hardy  and  of  easy  culture. 

The  Petit-muscadet,  which  is  also  sometimes  called  Musca- 
dine or  Muscadere,  has  leaves  of  smaller  size,  lobed  and  bor- 
dered with  teeth  that  are  more  acute. 

TERRE  BOURRE. 

This  vine  I  deem  one  of  the  most  desirable  for  vineyards 
on  account  of  its  vigour  and  productiveness  ;  it  seems  also  to 
support  our  seasons  well ;  the  berries  are  purple,  of  oval  form, 
and  of  a  pleasant  vinous  flavour,  and  the  plant  is  a  great 
bearer.  It  ripens  with  me  about  the  15th  to  20th  September, 
and  is  also  an  agreeable  table  grape. 

i    #>          •'."•-  .       . 

MARVOISIN.— PR.  CAT.  No.  368. 

The  berries  of  this  vine  are  of  good  size,  and  of  a  gray 
colour,  the  form  round  or  a  little  oval,  and  the  taste  sweet 
and  agreeable  ;  they  ripen  about  the  15th  to  20th  September 
and  are  pleasant  for  eating,  as  well  as  being  a  wine  grape. 

NAVARRO. 
This  vine  produces  purple  fruit  of  moderate  size  and  of 


136 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


rather  oval  form,  which  ripens  with  me  about  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember. It  is  from  the  department  of  Dordogne  (France,)  and 
I  am  not  yet  certain  whether  it  is  distinct  from  the  variety 
called  Navarre,  (see  Cat.  158)  in  the  department  of  Landes. 

LEHRMANN.— PR.  CAT.  No.  159. 

The  fruit  of  this  variety  is  round,  and  of  a  purple  colour, 
and  the  vine  is  very  prolific. 

EPICIER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  190. 

Spicier  grosse  espece.  Large  epicier. 

This  variety  has  round  fruit  of  a  purple  colour,  and  ripens 
here  from  the  15th  to  the  20th  of  September;  there  is  a  va- 
riety with  smaller  fruit ;  both  are  from  the  department  of  Vienne 
in  France. 

GRAY  TOKAY. 

White  Tokay.— Pn.  CAT.  No.  144.         Tokai,  Duh. 
Tokai  gris  de  Hongrie.  Tokai  blanc. 

Hungarian  Tokay. 

Vitis  uva  pawd,  acino  rotundo,  minima,  rubescenti. 

The  appellation  gray,  being  most  appropriate  as  con- 
veying a  more  correct  idea  of  the  real  appearance  of  the  fruit, 
I  have  here  adopted  it  in  preference  to  the  specific  term  white, 
by  which  it  is  most  generally  designated  in  this  country.— 
Duhamel  distinguishes  it  by  the  single  term  Tokai,  thereby 
conveying  the  idea  of  its  being  the  one  so  termed  par  excel- 
lence and  in  preference.  The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  rather 
deeply  five  lobed,  and  bordered  with  large  teeth,  their  upper 
surface  is  very  smooth,  and  the  under  side  is  covered  with  a 
slight  whitish  down.  The  bunch  is  about  three  to  four  inches 
in  length,  and  is  formed  of  small  berries  of  a  rounded  ovate 
form,  and  of  a  grayish  red  hue.  The  flavour  is  rather  plea- 
sant and  saccharine,  and  it  is  used  by  some  persons  as  a  table 
fruit.  It  is  this  grape  which  is  said  to  form  the  largest  propor- 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GKAPEfc.  137 

tion  or  basis  of  the  vineyards  in  the  country  so  celebrated  for 
the  excellence  of  the  wines  it  produces. 

BLUE  TOKAY.— PR.  CAT.  No.  14S. 
Tokai  bleu.  Tokai,  Haute  Pyrennees. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  vigorous  and  strong  growing  vines 
with  which  I  am  acquainted  ;  it  is  also  very  productive.  The 
fruit  ripens  with  me  about  the  10th  of  September  ;  the  berries 
are  purple,  of  moderate  size,  their  taste  and  flavour  tart  and 
sparkling,  with  that  peculiar  gout  which  I  fancied  bore  a 
strong  similarity  to  the  famed  wine  of  that  name :  it  is  not  a 
pleasant  fruit  for  the  table.  I  have  also  had  the  Tokai  de 
Hongrie  noir  to  produce  fruit  with  me  the  two  past  seasons, 
the  berries  of  which  are  of  oval  form.  I  have  besides  the 
Tokai  bagnol,  Tokai  de  Lunel,  &c. 

FLAME  TOKAY.— PR.  CAT.  No.  147, 

Flame-coloured  tokay.  Rhenish. 

Lombardy.  Brick. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  much  more  divided  than  most 
other  sorts,  and  the  upper  surface  is  of  a  deep  green  hue  ; 
the  berries  are  round  and  of  a  bright  red  or  flame  colour, 
the  bunches  are  .regularly  formed,  and  are  stated  by  some 
authors  to  attain  to  the  weight  of  six  or  seven  pounds.  It  is 
said  to  be  sometimes  called  in  England  the  Rhenish  grape ;  hjit 
this  title  and  that  of  Tokay  illy  apply  to  it,  if  it  came  originally 
from  Lombardy,  as  one  appellation  would  indicate. 

There  is  no  doubt  it  is  synonymous  with  some  other  &£  the 
described  varieties  cultivated  in  French  collections,  but  no 
author  has  yet  arranged  its  synonymy.  It  is  possible  .that  it 
may  be  the  same  as  the  Malvoisie-rouge-d' Italic  ;  but  neyfejr 
having  compared  them  myself,  I  have  no  means  of  deciding, 
and  therefore  barely  hazard  the  conjecture  as  to  that  point. 


138  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

LACHRYMA  CHRISTI. 

Lacrima  ChristL  Raisin  de  Vtsuve. 

This  is  the  variety  that  produces  the  celebrated  wine,  which 
bears  the  first  title  given  above.  The  famed  vineyards  which 
produce  it  are  planted  on  the  volcanic  remains,  composed  of 
the  residuum  of  the  lava  which  has  for  ages  flowed  from  the 
crater  of  the  celebrated  volcano  of  Vesuvius,  after  having  been 
decomposed  by  subterranean  fires.  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
the  particular  character  of  the  fruit,  and  it  is  only  during  the 
present  year  that  I  have  been  able  to  procure  genuine  vines  of 
it.  It  is  said  that  the  vine  is  a  native  of  and  peculiar  to 
Naples. 

A  neighbour  of  mine  has  a  vine  which  he  received  from 
Austria  under  this  title,  that  produced  fruit  the  summer  of 
1828 ;  the  berries  were  of  a  black  colour.  My  own  vines,  which 
were  received  from  a  different  and  much  more  direct  source, 
have  not  yet  produced  fruit. 

RED  MALMSEY.— PR.  CAT.  No.  27. 

Malvoisie  rouge  a" Italic.  Malvoisie  rouge  du  Po. 

Red  Italian  malmsey. 

This  is  a  vine  of  most  vigorous  growth  and  flourishing  ap- 
pearance ;  the  fruit  is  dark  red,  of  round  form  and  suitable 
for  wine,  and  is  also  considered  a  valuable  table  grape. 

WHITE  MALMSEY.— PR.  CAT.  No.  26. 
Malvoisie  blanc  du  Po.  Merrisie  1 

This  grape  is  white  and  of  an  oval  form.  It  is  placed 
among  the  wine  grapes  in  the  French  collections,  but  I  pre- 
sume will  be  also  deemed  worthy  of  cultivation  among  our 
table  varieties.  It  has  been  much  used  in  some  districts  for 
making  wine,  and  mingling  in  vineyards  with  other  varieties. 
The  grape  described  as  the  Malmsey  muscadine,  or  Malvoisie 


.NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

musquee  by  some  English  authors,  and  stated  to  resemble  the 
Royal  muscadine,  is  a  totally  different  fruit,  and  must  be  only  a 
variety  of  the  chasselas,  and  quite  probably  may  be  synony- 
mous. Some  English  authors  have  also  placed  the  Cioutat,  or 
Parsley-leaved  chasselas,  as  synonymous  with  this,  which  is  a 
greater  error  still,  as  there  is  no  affinity  whatever. 

MALVASIE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  294. 

This  variety  matures  its  fruit  here  about  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember, which  is  white  and  of  oval  form ;  being  of  late  intro- 
duction, the  vines  produced  only  some  weak  clusters  the  pre- 
sent season,  insufficient  to  decide  upon  its  merits.  It  is  culti- 
vated in  France  mostly  as  a  wine  grape. 

MALMSEY  MUSCADINE. 

'"*  ..i     .    .  -  •.  *./.'•••'  .     ' 

Malvoisie  musque. 

I  mention  this  separately  for  fear  of  error,  but  I  presume  it 
will  prove  synonymous  with  some  other  already  described. 
It  is  said  to  have  considerable  resemblance  in  appearance 
to  the  white  chasselas,  but  to  have  a  smaller  leaf  and 
cluster,  with  fruit  sweeter  and  more  highly  flavoured.  This 
vine  is  stated  to  have  been  originally  brought  to  France  from 
Montserrat,  and  to  be  a  favourite  in  the  vineyards  about  Turin. 
It  is  a  most  important  grape  at  Madeira  ;  and  it  is  said  that  Ma- 
deira wine  of  fine  quality  cannot  be  made  without  it,  it  being 
the  essence  or  syrup  grape  for  the  wines  of  that  island. 

LENOIR.— PR.  CAT.  No.  50. 

This  variety  was  obtained  from  Mr.  Lenoir,  who  resides  oa 
the  high  hills  of  the  Santee  river,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been 
raised  by  him  from  seed,  which  must  have  been  that  of  a  fo- 
reign vine,  as  this  is  a  variety  of  the  foreign  species.  It  is  of 
very  vigorous  growth,  and  produces  small  black  fruit  which 
ripens  there  in  July  and  here  in  August,  being  one  of  the 
earliest  grapes  ;  the  fruit  is  handsome,  rich  in  saccharine  mat- 


140  .NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

ter,  and  never  rots,  even  in  that  hot  climate.  It  is  not -a  great 
bearer;  but  if  it  is  a  seedling,  it  may  change  in  that  respect  with 
age.  Mr.  Herbemont  has  made  wine  from  it,  which  resembled 
Burgundy.  This  gentleman  has  also  in  his  vineyard  a  grape 
he  calls  the  Lafitte,  which  was  brought  by  General  Wade 
Hampton  from  the  vineyards  of  Mr.  Lafitte,  and  was  then 
stated  to  be  the  variety  from  which  the  claret  bearing  that  title 
is  made.  He  has  also  a  large  white  grape,  which  he  calls  Malm- 
sey, not  knowing  its  real  name  ;  it  is  beautiful  in  appearance 
and  very  excellent  for  the  table,  and  it  also  makes  supe- 
rior raisins  and  never  rots.  Another  white  grape  of  very  large 
size,  which  he  calls,  for  want  of  the  real  title,  Bosc,  after  the 
celebrated  French  professor  of  that  name ;  this  has  not  suc- 
ceeded as  well  with  him  as  the  others.  Also  an  exquisite  grape 
that  yields  abundantly,  and  is  green  when  ripe,  which  was 
brought  from  France  by  General  Davy,  when  he  was  our  mi- 
nister there.  He  has  another  he  calls  Deodata,  which  is  a 
very  rich  white  fruit ;  it  came  from  the  Luxembourg  collection 
with  the  one  called  Bosc,  but  the  true  names  of  both  were 
lost. 

LE  MONASTEL,— MOUNASTEOU,  Dun. 

Vitisferacissima ;  acinis  nigris,  cute  crassd,  foliis  maximis,  fyc. 

The  fruit  of  this  vine  is  mediocre  in  point  of  quality,  as 
well  as  the  wine  which  is  obtained  from  it.  The  vine  is  very 
productive,  but  not  of  as  great  durability  as  the  most  part  of  the 
vines  cultivated  in  Provence,  in  consequence  of  which  they 
have  established  a  proverbialism  in  the  district  where  it  is  cul- 
tivated, that  "  this  vine  makes  the  father  laugh  and  the  son 
weep."  I  presume  this  description  of  Duhamel  refers  to  the 
vine  called  Mounesten  in  my  catalogue  No.  211,  under  which 
title  I  received  it  from  France. 

PLANT  D'OOURUEOU,  Dim. 
Plant  d'Auriol. 

Vitis  uvd  perampld ;  acinis  nrgris,  maximis,  densis,  SfC^ 

leaves  of  this  vine  are  almost  entirely  smooth,  both 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  CRAPES.  141 

ibove  and  beneath ;  its  bunches  are  large  ;  the  berries  also 
large,  black,  and  closely  set.  This  grape  should  be  used  as 
soon  as  it  is  ripe,  the  delicacy  of  the  skin  not  allowing  it  to  be 
long  preserved. 

VARAGfNAN,  DUH. 

Raisin  de  chien.  Rin  de  chin. 

Vitis  uva  magnet ;  acvnis  oblongis,  subyiagnis,  pettucidis,  fyc. 

The  bunches  produced  by  this  vine  are  rather  large  ;  the 
berries  elongated,  shining,  and  tender,  with  but  little  flavour ; 
nevertheless  the  wine  it  produces  is  very  good.  It  has  ac- 
quired the  titles  given  above  as  synonymes,  on  account  of 
dogs  eating  it  in  preference  to  others  when  they  pass  through 
the  vineyards. 

PLANT  DE  VENEOU,  DUH. 

Vltis  uvd  perampld,  acinisrotundis,  carnosis,  subalbidis  et  serotinis,  cute  crassci. 

This  variety  is  pretty  common  in  the  vicinity  of  Aix,  espe- 
cially in  the  northern  part  of  that  district.  Its  fruit  is  late  at 
maturity,  and  produces  bunches  of  rather  large  size,  with  round 
whitish  berries  that  have*i  thick  skin.' 

'.  •  '  •      «  '  H»<  ^Pf^       ,  ;,     •' 

* 

LE  ROUSSELI,  DUH. 

Vitis  precia;  uva  antpla^  atinis  rubris,  magnis,  rotundis,  dmsis,  cute  tenui,  fyc. 

This  is  one  of  the  first  vines  to  vegetate  in  the  spring ;  the 
grapes  which  it  produces  are  large,  round,  and  of  a  reddish 
colour,  very  closely  set  on  the  cluster — they  are  sweet  and  have 
a  thin  skin.  It  attains  to  maturity  in  favorable  latitudes  at 
the  end  of  September,  and  is  one  of  the  most  estimable  grapes 
both  for  the  table  and  wine,  but  the  delicacy  of  its  skin  ren- 
ders it  necessary  to  gather  it  promptly,  as  it  would  soon  rot. 


4ii  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

PLANT  DE  SAINT  GILLES,  DUH. 

Vitis  maxima,  uvd  subampla,  acinis,  nigris}  minimis,  rotundis,  fyc. 

This  vine  shoots  vigorously  and  becomes  very  strong ;  its 
bunches  are  large  ;  the  berries  black,  round,  and  small,  possess- 
ing a  sweet  and  agreeable  flavour.  This  variety  is  cultivated 
at  Saint  Gilles,  in  Languedoc,  upon  the  river  Rhone,  and  pro- 
duces excellent  wine  that  will  keep  a  long  time. 
\ 

PALOMINO  COMMUN,  DUH. 

*.v  •-•^*-»-   '*   V' 

Vitis  uva  media  ;  acino  nigro,  molliusculo,  subdulci,  et  subpellucido. 

This  vine  differs  from  the  Listan-commun  in  its  leaves, 
which  are  not  of  so  dark  a  green  on  the  upper  side,  and  are 
less  downy  beneath  ;  by  its  smaller  cluster  composed  also  of 
smaller  berries  placed  less  closely.  It  is  cultivated  in  the 
Spanish  vineyards,  and  particularly  at  Xeres,  at  Rota,  and 
at  Paxarete. 

MANTUO  CASTILLAN,  DUH. 

Vitis  acinis  raris  subrotundis,  intense  viridibus,  durts,  serotinis. 

This  is  one  of  the  varieties  cultivated  in  Spain,  and  next  to 
the  Listan-ctfmmun,  its  fruit  is  the  most  esteemed  at  San- 
Lucar  for  eating,  and  the  clusters  when  suspended  will  keep 
a  long  time.  The  berries  are  nearly  round,  firm,  and  of  a 
greenish  colour.  They  distinguish  in  that  country  many  sub- 
varieties  of  the  Mantuo,  one  of  which  produces  violet  coloured 
berries. 

TINTILLA,  DUH. 

Vitis  uvd  sublaxd;  acinis  parvis,  rotundis,  nigris. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  slightly  wrinkled,  covered  beneath 
with  white  and  close  down,  they  are  five  lobed  and  bordered 
with  medium  indentures.  The  bunches  are  composed  of 
small  berries,  not  closely  set,  and  very  succulent,  yielding  a 
very  black  juice  of  a  peculiarly  sweet  flavour,  rather  insipid. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  143 

with  a  little  sharpness.  It  is  this  variety  which  yields  the 
famous  Rota  wine,  known  under  the  title  of  Tintilla  de  Rota. 
It  is  also  employed  for  the  purpose  of  giving  colour  to  the 
must  of  other  grapes,  of  which  it  is  intended  to  make  red 
wines ;  it  forms  a  sixth  part  in  the  Malaga  wine. 

MOLLAR  NOIR,  DUH. 

Vitis  uvd  magnd,  acinis  magnis,  rotundif,  mollissimis,  nigris,  sapidis. 

The  leaves  are  a  little  wrinkled  and  have  a  reddish  hue  at 
the  time  of  expansion,  and  are  afterwards  of  rather  a  clear 
yellowish  green  colour,  and  are  covered  beneath  with  a  pro- 
fusion of  white  down.  The  bunches  are  pretty  large,  some- 
what irregular,  composed  of  roundish  and  very  obtuse  berries, 
which  are  black,  with  a  very  thin  and  delicate  skin.  This 
vine,  which  is  cultivated  in  the  Spanish  vineyards,  has  also  a 
sub-variety,  that  only  differs  in  respect  to  the  colour  of  its 
berries,  which  on  the  same  cluster  are  black,  red,  reddish,  and 
some  quite  white.  It  appears  in  this  respect  to  resemble  the 
striped  Aleppo  grape. 

:Y  '  BENADU,  Dun. 

Spart,  of  Languedoc. 
Vitis  uvd  media  ;  acino  subrotundo,  duro,  dulci  et  vix  sapido,  fyc. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  somewhat  rounded,  very  slightly 
lobed,  and  of  a  moderately  dark  green  hue.  The  bunches 
are  of  medium  size,  composed  of  roundish  berries,  which,  are 
set  very  closely  to  each  other.  There  is  a  sub-variety  called 
the  Gros-benadu,  which  is  distinguished  by  its  berries  being 
half  as  large  again  with  a  harder  skin,  and  with  flesh  that  is 
more  soft  and  insipid. 

.These  varieties  are  cultivated  in  Provence,  and  are  known 
there  by  the  name  I  have  adopted,  but  in  Languedoc  they  are 
called  by  the  title  given  as  a  synonyme. 


144  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

MOUSTARDIE,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  Nd.  212. 
Saure,  of  Languedoc. 

Vitis  uvd  media ;  acino  subrotundOj  saturate  violaceo. 

The  leaf  of  this  vine  is  not  a  very  dark  green,  divided  into 
five  deep  lobes,  the  centre  one  of  which  is  much  the  largest  and 
most  projecting.  The  bunch  is  of  medium  size,  composed  of 
pretty  large  rounded  berries,  of  a  deep  violet  or  nearly  black 
colour.  The  vine  is  very  productive,  and  furnishes  a  very 
deep  coloured  wine.  It  is  called  by  the  name  adopted  in 
Provence,  and  by  the  synonyme  in  Languedoc. 

BOURBOTJLENQUE,  Dim: 
Frappade. 

Vitis  uvd  parvd,  acino  subrolundo,  rufo,  duro  et  dulci. 

This  vine,  which  is  also  cultivated  in  Provence,  has  small 
three  lobed  leaves,  bordered  with  numerous  teeth,  which  renders 
them  almost  frizzled.  The  bunch  is  small,  composed  of  roundish 
berries,  of  a  reddish  colour  and  of  a  firm  consistence,  and  of 
a  very  sweet  flavour  without  insipidity.  I  have  a  black  variety 
in  my  collection,  called  Bourboulenque  noire. 

GRE  ROUGE,  Dun. 

Vitis  uvd  crassd,  acinis  subparvis,  et  subrotundis,  rubescentibus. 

The  foliage  of  this  vine  is  of  a  delicate  green,  and  the  leaves 
are  deeply  divided  into  five  lobes,  the  middle  one  of  which  is 
far  larger  than  the  others.  The  bunch  is  thick,  composed  of 
berries  set  pretty  closqly  to  each  other,  which  are  round  and  of 
a  reddish  colour. 

Near  the  village  of  Cornillon,  in  the  French  department  of 
Gard,  there  is  a  vine  of  this  kind  whose  trunk  had  attained  in 
1 824  the  size  of  a  man,  and  whose  shoots  spread  out  in  every 
direction  on  the  branches  of  a  large  oak.  This  single  vine 
has  produced  in  one  season  three  hundred  and  fifty  bottles  of 
a  rose  coloured  wine  of  pleasant  flavour. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  145 

ROCHELLE  NOIRE,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  232. 

Faigneau.  Vigane. 

Vitis  uvd  nigro,  rotunda,  motti. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  have  very  long  petioles,  ol'  a  line 
green  on  the  upper  side,  white  and  downy  beneath,  divided 
into  five  lobes,  the  principal  ones  of  which  are  of  greater 
depth  than  the  others,  and  doubly  indented  on  their  edges. 
The  bunches  are  composed  of  rounded  berries  of  a  black 
colour.  This  vine  is  common  in  the  vineyards  of  the  west 
part  of  France,  where  it  is  known  by  the  two  titles  given  as 
synonymes.  There  is  a  variety  called  by  the  same  name,  and 
cultivated  in  some  districts,  whose  berries  are  of  oval  form. 
(See  Pr.  Cat.  No.  270.)  Both  kinds  are  in  my  collection, 

ROCHELLE  BLANCHE,  DTJH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  349. 

Vitis  acino  albo,  rotundo  molll. 

This  is  a  variety  of  the  preceding,  differing  only  in  the 
colour  of  its  fruit,  which  is  white. 

FOLLE  BLANCHE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  287. 

RocJtelle  verte,  Duh.  Sauvignon  vert. 

Enrageat.  Meslier  vert. 

Uni  blanc,  of  Provence.  Roumain. 

Blanc-verdet. 

Vitis  acino  rotundo,  cdbido,  duko-acido. 

i 

The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  of  a  pretty  dark  green  oa 
the  upper  surface,  covered  over  with  an  ash  coloured  down 
beneath,  and  divided  into  five  unequal  lobes  ;  the  bunch  is  of 
medium  size,  composed  of  closely  set  berries,  which  are  of 
very  pleasant  flavour  when  at  perfect  maturity,  with  a  soft  skin. 
The  crop  of  this  grape  is  in  general  abundant,  and  the  wine 
produced  by  it  is  reputed  to  be  very  advantageous  for  the  pur- 

19 


146 


HOMEHCIiATUJtiS  OF  GRAPES. 


pose  of  making  brandy.     It  is  extensively  cultivated  in  the 
vineyards  of  Languedoc. 

ROCHELLE  BLONDE,  DUH. 

Vitis  acino  rotundo,  albo,  dulco-ctcido. 

This  appears  to  be  merely  a  subvariety  of  the  preceding  ;  its 
foliage  differs,  however,  in  being  only  three  lobed  and  of  a 
much  paler  green  colour,  and  the  fruit  also  presents  the  same 
difference,  being  much  whiter  than  the  former. 

TEINTURIER,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  30. 

Tinleau.  Noireau. 

Gros-noir.  Morieu. 

Teinturin .  Portugal . 

Noir  d'Espagne.  Roussillon  ? 

Alicante.  Claret,  supposed  erroneously. 

Moure.  The  Dyer. 

Vitis  acino  nigro,  rotunda,  duriusculo,  suavis  saporis,  succo  nigro,  labia  inficicnti. 

The  leaves  are  divided  into  five  lobes,  which  are  bordered 
with  deep  teeth,  and  long  before  the  maturity  of  the  fruit  they 
become  nearly  of  a  flesh  colour ;  the  bunches  are  of  irregular 
form  and  terminated  by  a  truncated  cone,  and  are  composed 
of  round  berries  of  unequal  size,  which  yield  by  expression  a 
juice  of  very  deep  colour.  This  grape  is  only  cultivated  in 
France  for  the  purpose  of  colouring  other  wines,  for  when 
manufactured  alone,  it  furnishes  a  harsh  and  austere  wine  of 
disagreeable  taste.  It  is  common  in  the  vineyards  of  Orleans, 
and  in  those  of  Gatinois,  and  is  also  disseminated  in  other 
quarters,  where  it  has  received  the  various  titles  given  as  sy- 
nonymes. 

This  grape  is  sometimes  confused  with  the  following,  and 
by  some  writers  the  Teinturier  and  Alicant  are  named  syno- 
nymously, and^by  others  this  has  been  called  the  Claret  grape ; 
but  it  seems  agreed  by  the  most  eminent  authors  that  I  have 
perused,  that  this  and  the  following  are  totally  distinct,  and  St. 
Pierre.  RQ?ier.  Ghaptal,  and  Duhamel  all  agree  that  this 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  147 

variety  yields  wine  fit  only  for  dyers  and  for  colouring  other 
wines.  Still  it  is  possible  that  some  of  the  miserable  harsh 
wine  which  is  sent  to  this  country  under  the  name  of  claret, 
may  be  the  produce  of  this  grape.  The  fruit  ripened  with  me 
the  past  season  about  the  15th  of  September. 

BLACK  SPANISH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  29. 
Negrier,  Duh.  .Hamonal. 

Alicant  or  Alicante.  Raisin  de  Lombardie. 

Raisin  d'Ati-ante.  Port-wine  grape. 

Gros  noir  d'Espagne.  Large  black  cluster. 

Claret  grape. 

Vitis  UK  a  perampldj  acinis,  nigricantibus,  niajoribus. 

This  grape  resembles  the  Teinturier,  because  its  juice  is 
equally  red,  but  it  is  far  superior  in  qualitj^,  and  it  is  this  grape 
from  which  Oporto  or  Port  wine  is  made  :  besides  the  bunches 
and  the  berries  are  larger,  and  the  leaves  have  a  greater  ex- 
pansion. It  is  known  in  the  various  districts  and  countries 
where  it  is  cultivated  by  a  great  variety  of  titles,  as  the  list  of 
synonymes  indicates.  In  English  authors  it  is  generally  de- 
scribed under  the  first  and  third,  and  the  three  last  names  stated 
above.  It  ripens  here  towards  the  end  of  September,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  it  is  one  of  those  to  which  our  attention 
should  be  particularly  devoted  in  the  formation  of  vineyards, 
as  port  wine  which  is  produced  from  it,  is  in  such  general  use 
in  our  country,  that  the  wine  made  from  it  here  would  be  sure 
of  a  ready  market.  The  American  wine  would  also  be  far  pre- 
ferable to  the  imported,  as  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  adulterate 
it  by  such  an  addition  of  alcohol  as  is  added  by  the  Portuguese 
to  ensure  a  safe  transmission  across  the  ocean.  The  por- 
wine  we  import  contains  a  greater  portion  of  alcohol  than  any 
other  wine  brought  into  our  country,  with  the  exception  of 
sherry  and  madeira,  which  do  not  greatly  differ  in  that  respect. 

There  is  another  grape,  called  in  France  Gros-noir  of  Cha- 
rente,  which  may  possibly  prove  synonymous  with  the  Black 
hamburgh  or  Frankenthaler,  although  enumerated  in  some 
French  lists.  I  have  not  yet  tested  it  sufficiently  to  decide  the 


148  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

point.  I  have  already  remarked  in  speaking  of  the  foregoing 
variety  that  this  is  often  confused  with  it,  and  in  fact  the  two 
are  often  called  by  the  titles  of  each  other  even  in  some  of  the 
wine  districts  of  France.  I  take  this  to  be  the  variety  from 
which  the  best  claret  wine  is  made. 

GOUAIS  BLANC,  Dun.— PR.  CAT.  No.  331. 

Gouas.  Bourgeois. 

Gros-blanc.  Mouillet. 

Plant  madame.  Verdin  blanc. 

Vitis'  uvd  media,  sublaxd,  acino  subrotundo,  albido. 

The  leaf  is  entire  and  not  distinctly  lobed,  but  is  bordered 
by  a  large  festoon  with  irregular  teeth ;  the  petiole  is  some- 
what slender,  and  of  a  grayish  colour.     The  bunch  is  of  me 
dium  size,  formed  of  pretty  large  berries  of  a  whitish  green 
colour,  having  a  little  resemblance  to  those  of  the  white  fron- 
tignac  or  muscat  blanc,  but  less  closely  set  on  the  bunch. — 
This  grape  is  known  by  a  variety  of  names,  the  principal  ones 
of  which  I  have  enumerated.     It  ripens  about  the  middle  of 
September  in  this  latitude. 

BLACK  GAMET.— PR.  CAT.  No.  32. 

Garnet  noir.  Chambonat. 

Game  ncrir,  Duh.  Saumoritte. 

Vitis  uvd  media,  acino  nigricante. 

This  grape  yields  almost  universally  very  abundant  crops. 
In  certain  districts  of  France  and  in  particular  expositions,  it 
enters  largely  into  the  composition  of  the  best  wines.  In 
other  places  the  cultivators  extirpate  it  from  their  plantations. 
Every  point  in  this  variety  denotes  a  vigorous  vegetation ; 
its  leaf  is  thick,  of  a  dark  green  hue,  bordered  with  large  fes- 
toons whose  edges  are  irregularly  indented,  but  not  divided 
into  distinct  lobes.  It  ripens  here  before  or  about  the  middle 
of  September,  is  exceedingly  hardy,  and  of  the  easiest  cul- 
ture. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES,  149 


GOUAIS  NOIR.— PB.  CAT.  No.  64. 

Petit  game,  Duh.  Noir. 

Gueuche  noire.  Verreau. 

Vitis  uvd  media,  sublaxd,  acinis  vix  dulcibus,nigerrimis. 

This  grape  is  known  in  the  different  districts  of  France  by 
the  various  titles  given  above;  it  resembles  in  the  form  of  the 
bunch  and  of  the  berries  the  Morillon  of  Burgundy,  but  it 
has  neither  the  same  flavour  nor  same  sweetness,  and  it  is  of 
much  blacker  colour. 


MANSARD,  DUH. 

LeDamour.  Le  Grand  noir. 

Le  Vert  gris. 

Vitis  uvd  ampld,  pyramidatd,  acino  majori,  nigricante. 

The  leaf  of  this  variety  is  large,  thick,  of  a  deep  green,  and 
bordered  with  slight  indentures  in  comparison  to  its  size ;  the 
bunches  are  very  large  and  of  a  pretty  regular  pyramidal  form, 
and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  them  to  attain  to  nine  or  ten  inches 
in  length,  and  to  four  or  five  in  breadth  at  the  base  ;  the  ber- 
ries are  large  and  set  moderately  close. 

MARLEAU,  DUH. 

Le  Languedoc.  Le  Troyen. 

Le  Coq.  L'Ardonnet. 

Le  Conors.  Le  Balsac. 

Vitis  uvd  sublaxd,  acinis  nigris,  quasi  villoso-sericcif. 

This  grape  is  of  a  beautiful  velvetty  black  colour,  and  the 
berries  are  set  moderately  close  on  the  cluster ;  the  leaf  is  lobed, 
and  is  remarkable  for  the  delicacy  and  irregularity  of  the  in- 
dentures on  its  edges.  Its  shoots  denote  a  great  deal  of  vigour 
both  by  the  size  of  the  wood,  and  by  that  of  the  eyes  or  joints. 
It  is  known  by  a  great  number  of  appellations  in  France,  as  the 
list  of  svnonvmes  given  above  denotes. 


150  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

LOUXTENDRE  PECOUE,  Dra. 

Raisin  a  grappes  molJes. 
Vitis  uvd  mediocri  et  oblonga ;  atinis  rotundis,  minutis,  dulcibus,  fyc. 

The  bunches  of  this  vine  are  of  oblong  form  and  not  very 
large,  the  berries  are  small,  and  round,  and  have  an  agree- 
able flavour ;  the  skin  is  thin  and  dotted  with  reddish  points ; 
the  peduncle  which  supports  the  cluster  is  rather  soft  than 
woody,  and  it  is  from  this  circumstance  it  has  received  its  titles. 

TIBOTJREN— TIBOULEN,  DUH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  240. 

Antiltoulen. 
Vitis  uvd  minuta,  acinis  mediocribus,  nlgris,  rotundis  et  raris,  cute  crossa,  $c. 

This  vine  derives  its  name  from  that  part  of  Provence, 
where  it  is  the  most  particularly  cultivated,  which  is  Antibes, 
at  Marseilles.  Its  fruit,  which  is  one  of  the  earliest  among  the 
black  and  red  varieties  of  grapes,  is  very  sweet.  It  yields  a 
wine  slightly  coloured,  very  saccharine,  and  which  becomes 
sparkling  by  keeping,  but  requires  a  great  deal  of  attention  to 
preserve  it.  This  variety  would  be  very  productive,  if  the 
blossoms  were  not  subject  to  the  blight  or  coidure.  The  berries 
which  ma.ture  are  very  distant  from  each  other  on  the  bunch, 
which  renders  its  culture  but  of  little  profit.  The  wine  it  pro- 
duces scarcely  ever  enters  into  the  commercial  sales,  as  it  will 
not  bear  transportation  ;  the  proprietors  of  French  vineyard? 
therefore  who  make  it  with  care,  keep  it  for  their  own  use. 

PLANT  DE  RAGUSE,  Dun. 
Ragusa  grape. 

Vitis  minuta;  uv&parvd ;  acinis  albido  subfulvis,  rolundis,  fyc. 

This  vine,  which  is  very  remarkable  on  account  of  its  long 
Punches,  was  brought  from  Ragusa  to  Marseilles,  by  M. 
D'Hercules.  An  excellent  pale  wine  is  made  from  it  in  France, 
which  has  much  reputation  and  is  sought  after  even  by  foreigner? 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES, 

PLANT  SARDOU.—  Dim. 

Vitis  acini's  albidis,  magnis,  subrotundis,  et  densis,  cute  tenui,  fyc. 

This  is  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  to  France  from 
the  island  of  Sardinia  ;  the  berries  are  whitish,  round  and  rather 
large,  and  very  closely  set  on  the  cluster.  In  favourable 
climates  it  ripens  from  the  fifteenth  to  the  twentieth  of  Sep- 
tember. The  delicacy  of  its  skin  renders  it  subject  to  rot. 

LE  GOMBERT,  Dun. 

Vitis  Minis  dbidis,  subfulms  et  dulcibus,  cute  crassa,  fyc. 

The  branches  or  shoots  of  this  vine  have  their  joints  very 
near  to  each  other,  and  are  of  a  reddish  colour.  The  fruit 
is  white,  and  of  an  amber  hue  on  the  sunny  side,  and  has  a 
pleasant  taste. 

LE  RIN  BRUN,  Dim. 

Vitis  acino  nigro,  rotundo,  molli. 

This  vine  throws  out  a  great  deal  of  wood,  and  the  joints 
are  very  near  each  other.  The  grape  is  black,  round,  and 
soft,  and  is  subject  to  detach  itself  easily  from  the  bunch  as  it 
approaches  maturity,  which  arises  from  the  delicacy  of  its  skiny 
which  is  but  slightly  attached  to  the  peduncle. 

RAISIN  BARBAROUX,  DUH. 
Raisin  Grec. 

Vitis  uvtiperampld;  acinis  rufescentibus  maximis,  rotundas,  fyc,' 

This  grape,  which  ripens  in  warm  climates  at  the  end  of 
August,  and  here  about  the  middle  of  September,  is  equally 
good  for  wine  as  for  the  table,  but  it  will  not  keep  long  and 
easily  rots. 

BROWN,  OR  CHOCOLATE  COLOURED— PR.  CAT.  No.  8. 
This  was  received  from  France  about  thirty  years  since : 


152  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

the  vine  is  of  very  vigorous  growth,  and  a  great  bearer, 
and  seems  to  suit  our  climate  well,  and  to  be  very  hardy ;  the 
fruit  is  oval,  of  a  sprightly  flavour,  and  the  bunches  large  and 
shouldered  ;  it  is  an  excellent  wine  grape,  but  in  this  vicinity 
ripens  late,  the  period  of  maturity  being  at  the  end  of  Septem- 
ber. Dr.  Vandevere  of  this  island,  whose  zeal  in  the  vine 
culture  is  well  known,  has  had  some  extremely  large  bunches 
of  fruit  from  vines  of  this  kind. 

VERDILHIO.— PR.  CAT.  No.  110. 
Verdelho. — LOND.  HORT.  Soc.  CAT. 

This  is  well  known  to  be  the  grape  which  gives  strength 
and  body  to  the  wines  of  Madeira,  and  is  generally  considered 
the  best  wine  grape  of  that  island.  It  may  rather,  in  point  of 
ripening,  be  considered  an  early  fruit.  I  received  this,  the 
Nigrinho,  the  Tinta,  and  the  Violet  from  a  wine  house  of  high 
repute  in  Madeira,  and  they  stated  to  me,  that  these  were  the 
finest  grapes  known  there  for  the  making  of  wines. 

VIOLET  MADEIRA.— -PR.  CAT.  No.  108. 

This  vine,  which  I  received  direct  from  Madeira,  is  one  of 
the  most  hardy  I  know  of.  It  has  withstood  our  severest  win- 
ters unprotected  and  uninjured.  It  is  also  very  productive,  and 
the  fruit  is  of  a  pleasant  vinous  flavour. 

This  vine  also  suits  the  climate  well  in  this  vicinity,  and 
flourishes  exceedingly  in  all  seasons.  I  have  never  seen  any 
appearance  of  unthriftiness,  or  of  inclination  to  mildew.  I 
consider  it  as  a  most  valuable  grape  for  vineyards,  and  I  doubt 
not  his  one  of  those  which  form  the  basis  of  the  fine  vineyards 
of  Madeira. 

Thomas  McCall,  Esq.  of  Georgia,  stated  to  me  that  a  vine 
which  he  received  from  me  of  this  kind,  made  a  shoot  in  one 
season  eighteen  feet  long  fifteen  feet  of  which  was  perfect 
wood  and  the  remainder  immature.  He  also  stated  to  me  that 
lie  considered  it  a  beautiful  fruit,  and  that  he  deems  it  a  superior 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  15'3 

wine  grape.  In  the  season  of  1828,  the  first  year  his  vine 
was  of  any  size,  it  produced  a  second  crop,  one  of  the  bunches 
of  which  was  nearly  ripe  when  the  frost  came. 

TINTA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  112. 

Negramole.  Negra  molle. 

The  fruit  of  this  vine  is  rather  oval  and  of  a  purple  colour, 
the  taste  and  flavour  pleasant  and  sparkling.  It  ripens  here 
about  the  20th  of  September,  and  is  consequently  one  of 
those  which  succeed  well ;  the  bunches  are  shouldered  and 
divided  ;  the  leaves  five  lobed  and  indented  on  their  borders 
and  downy  on  the  under  side — they  also  become  tinted  with 
purple  as  the  grapes  advance  to  maturity,  I  consider  it  as 
different  from  the  Teinturier  of  France,  although  some  writers 
have  supposed  it  the  same.  I  received  a  number  of  the  vines 
direct  from  Madeira,  and  have  them  now  in  full  bearing:  in  my 
vineyard.  This  is  the  principal  grape  of  which  the  far-famed 
Tinta  Madeira  wine  is  made,  which  commands  a  higher  price 
than  the  kind  in  general  use,  and  I  think  it  one  of  those 
which  may  be  relied  on  for  success  in  vineyards  formed  in  this 
latitude  ;  and  in  fact,  so  far  as  my  experience  has  tested  them, 
the  vines  of  Madeira  seem  particularly  adapted  to  our  cli- 
mate, and  I  do  not  recollect  a  failure  of  any  of  them.  It- 
would  therefore  without  doubt  be  of  great  advantage  to  ob- 
tain all  the  fine  varieties  from  that  island,  as  there  are  pro- 
bably many  which  we  do  not  yet  possess. 

*      - 
BLACK  MADEIRA. 

This  grape  I  received  direct  from  Madeira;  it  produces 
abundantly,  and  is  one  of  those  that  agree  best  with  our  clt- 
mate  ;  the  fruit  is  very  juicy  and  of  a  pleasant  flavour,  and 
seems  well  calculated  both  for  wine  and  the  table  ;  it  ripens  in 
August.  This  vine  I  have  found  to  be  so  nearly  allied  to  the 
Meunier  as  to  present  no  specific  distinction,  and  I  only  men- 
tion it  here  to  give  place  to  the  remark,  that  having  received 

20 


154  JVOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

it  from  that  island,. seems  to  prove  that  this  grape  is  also  one 
of  the  varieties  which,  united,  produce  the  Madeira  wine. 

PURPLE  MADEIRA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  109. 

This  is  a  small  pale  purple  grape,  loosely  set  on  long 
bunches ;  they  have  a  vinous  perfume  and  flavour  when  ripe, 
but  the  taste  is  not  pleasant,  and  they  are  not  suitable  for  the 
table. 

HERBEMONT'S  MADEIRA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  113. 

This  is  an  excellent  grape  either  for  the  table  or  for  wine ; 
the  latter  has  been  sold  in  South  Carolina  for  two  dollars  per 
gallon  before  it  was  five  months  old.  The  vine  is  vigorous 
and  an  abundant  bearer  ;  it  is  remarkable  on  account  of  the 
young  branches  having  white  spots  on  them,  as  if  a  white  pel- 
licle had  been  partly  peeled  off. 

I  received  this  variety  from  our  distinguished  fellow-country- 
man, N.  Herbemont,  Esq.  of  South  Carolina,  who  has  given 
us  such  elaborate  and  interesting  communications  relative  to 
his  experiments  in  the  vine  culture.  He  states  that  he  has  not 
been  able  precisely  to  trace  its  origin  ;  but  supposing  it  from 
some  circumstances  to  have  come  from  Madeira,  he  has  called 
it  by  that  name  until  the  true  one  is  ascertained.  The  excel- 
lent wine  made  from  this  grape  is  called  "  Palmyra,"  by  Mr. 
Herbemont,  being  the  name  of  his  plantation,  where  probably 
the  first  wine  was  made  from  it  in  this  country. 

WARRENTON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  36. 

This  grape  I  also  received  from  T.  McCall,  Esq.  of  Georgia, 
who  informed  me  that  it  was  originally  obtained  from  Madeira. 
The  foliage  is  of  a  light  green  colour  ;  the  juice  of  the  grapes 
is  white,  and  although  the  fruit  has  no  peculiarity  in  its  taste, 
still  the  wine  is  of  an  exquisite  nut  flavour,  similar  to  that  of 
a  fine  hiccory  nut,  a  circumstance  which  proves  that  the  fla- 
vour of  the  wine  does  not  always  follow  that  of  the  fruit.  It 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


155 


ripens  its  fruit  in  Georgia  from  the  10th  to  the  25th  of  August ; 
the  berries  are  round,  of  moderate  size,  and  nearly  black,  and 
are  set  pretty  close  on  the  bunches,  which  weigh  about  five 
ounces  each.  The  wine  becomes  of  an  amber  colour,  is  less 
strong  than  Madeira,  (doubtless  because  that  has  so  much 
brandy  mixed  with  it)  and  is  of  exquisite  flavour. 

Mr.  Me  Call  says  that  he  deems  it  a  very  valuable  variety 
for  wine  ;  and  his  knowledge  and  general  intelligence  on  the 
grape  culture  are  too  well  known  not  to  be  highly  appreciated. 
It  obtained  its  present  name  from  its  being  cultivated  in  War- 
ren county,  Georgia. 

ADLUM'S  MADEIRA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  114. 

This,  Mr.  Adlum  states,  he  obtained  for  the  true  Madeira 
grape,  a  title  which  has  been  often  inadvertently  applied,  and 
one  in  nowise  definite,  for  on  that  island  there  is  a  great  variety 
of  grapes  of  every  colour  and  quality  ;  this  vine  grows  lux- 
uriantly, but  is  not  very  hardy  ;  the  berries  are  dark  purple., 
grow  on  long  clusters,  and  are  not  pleasant  for  the  table. 

ROUND  VIOLET  MADEIRA. 

Under  this  title  I  have  received  some  vines  from  my  esteem- 
ed correspondent,  T.  McCall,  Esq.  of  Georgia.  I  am  not 
acquainted  with  the  particular  properties  of  the  variety,  but  I 
know  it  must  have  valuable  qualities,  or  he  would  not  have 

sent  it  to  me. 

.  • 

MONSTROUS  VIOLET. 

This  vine  I  received  from  France  under  a  title  entirely  er- 
roneous ;  I  have,  therefore,  adopted  the  above  name,  not 
knowing  the  true  one.  It  is  of  very  vigorous  growth,  form- 
ing very  large  and  strong  shoots  ;  the  berries  are  of  very 
large  size  and  round  ;  greenish  white  until  they  attain  towards 
the  period  of  maturity,  when  they  change  to  a  light  violet 
colour.  Their  appearance  would  induce  the  expectation  of 
their  being  a  fine  table  fruit,  but  they  are,  in  fact,  quite  the 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

contrary,  being  harsh  and  austere  in  taste,  and  of  no  use  ex- 
cept for  wine.  It  is  a  grape  of  such  marked  character,  that 
I  think  its  true  name  may  be  soon  discovered. 

L'YVERDUN  BON  VIN.— PR.  CAT.  No.  127. 

Liverdun*  L'eric£  noir. 

Liverdon  des  Voges. 

This  grape,  a  native  of  Yverdun,  Canton  of  Bern,  Swit- 
zerland, flourishes  in  the  most  unfavourable  situations  as  to 
soil  and  exposure.  It  is  extensively  cultivated  in  the  north  of 
the  department  of  Meuse,  (France)  lat.  49  deg.  30  min.  and 
also  in  the  department  of  Meurthe.  Even  on  the  north  side 
of  hills,  where  no  other  grape  will  succeed,  it  is  said  to  pro- 
duce abundantly  in  seasons  when  other  kinds  are  blighted* 
The  berries  are  of  a  dark  purple  or  black,  of  oval  form,  and 
of  an  agreeable  flavour,  and  about  the  size  of  the  Burgundy. 
Its  wine  is  considered  of  a  secondary  quality,  but  is  far  supe- 
rior to  the  harsh  Spanish  wines  which  are  so  much  used  here* 
I  have  had  this  grape  under  culture  for  six  years,  and  have 
found  it  to  be  very  hardy  ;  indeed,  I  have  never  protected  it, 
and  it  has  been  invariably  uninjured.  I  consider  this  grape, 
and  the  other  vines  from  Switzerland,  and  those  from  the  vici- 
nity of  Mentz,  lat.  50  deg.  10  min.  where  the  Rhenish  wines 
are  made,  as  decidedly  the  best  to  be  cultivated  in  the  eastern 
states  for  the  purpose  of  making  wine.  As  for  indulging  the 
expectation,  that  the  grapes  of  the  south  of  France  and  Italy 
will  flourish  to  the  north  of  New-York,  it  is  sacrificing  the 
plainest  deductions  of  reason  to  an  ephemeral  indulgence  of 
fancy. 

RED  SWISS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  130. 

This  grape  I  received  from  the  vicinity  of  Lausanne,  in  Swit- 
zerland. It  is  represented  as  a  very  good  wine  grape,  ripen- 
ing  early,  and  yielding  in  that  country  great  and  regular 
crops  in  unfavourable  situations. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  157 


BLUE  CARTAGER,  GIBBS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  116. 

This  is  a  wine  grape  received  from  Vienna  by  Col.  Gibbs, 
of  this  island,  to  whose  politeness  I  am  indebted  for  this 
as  well  as  many  other  varieties  received  by  him  from  the  same 
quarter,  to  which  I  have  added  his  cognomen.  It  is  said  to 
yield  the  best  Hungarian  wine,  and  is  deemed  by  the  gentleman 
above  referred  to  as  very  suitable  for  vineyards  in  the  western 
states.  From  this  grape  is  made  the  Bunda  or  Osen  wine,  and 
by  a  particular  process,  the  Munster  tokay  wine.  It  is  of  vi- 
gorous growth,  and  often  forms  shoots  of  great  length  :  the 
fruit  ripens  about  the  20th  of  September. 

FELDLINGER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  120. 

The  fruit  of  this  celebrated  Rhenish  vine  ripens  with  me 
the  20th  September ;  the  berries  are  round  or  a  little  oval, 
whitish,  with  a  slight  wtinge  which  gives  them  a  gray  appear- 
ance. It  is  a  native  of  the  department  of  Bas-Rhin,  in 
France,  and  succeeds  well  on  the  borders  of  the  Rhine. 

OLWER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  129.  • 
Ollwer. 

This  vine  succeeds  best  in  a  warm  exposure  ;  the  wine  made 
from  it  has  attained  celebrity  in  the  northern  departments  of 
France,  near  the  Rhine,  on  account  of  its  use,  being  consi- 
dered a  preventive  against  the  gravel.  Whether  any  other 
pure  wine  would  not  have  quite  as  much  effect  in  this  respect, 
amateurs  will  determine  for  themselves.  It  is  much  cultivated 
in  the  north  of  France,  and  I  imported  two  thousand  vines  the 
last  spring  from  the  borders  of  the  Rhine. 


158  MOMfcftCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


FACUN— BURGER— BOURGER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  119, 

VAllemand.  Facon  Wane. 

Weisser  Burger. 

The  fruit  of  this  vine  is  white,  replete  with  sweet  juice.— 
The  vine  yields  abundant  crops,  and  is  very  extensively  culti- 
vated in  the  vineyards  on  the  Rhine,  where  it  is  highly  es- 
teemed. It  is  very  hardy,  of  easy  culture,  and  calculated  to 
suit  this  climate,  and  possesses  the  advantage  of  succeeding  in 
strong  as  well  as  light  soils.  The  wine  is  also  stated  to  be 
perfectly  fit  for  use  the  first  year. 

RED  BURGER. 

Sourger  or  Burger.  V 'Allemand,  le  rouge. 

Facon  rouge.  Rother  Burger. 

This  is  also  cultivated  in  the  same  vineyards  as  the  preced- 
ing, but  differs  from  it  in  the  colour  of  the  fruit,  which,  as  its 
name  denotes,  is  red.  There  is  another  variety,  called  "  Thai- 
Burger." 

ROTHE  HINTSCHE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  139, 
Hinsch,  or  hintsch.  Wiein  hintsch, 

This  has  dark  coloured  fruit,  which  is  of  oval  form ;  and  in 
the  Rhenish  vineyards  where  it  is  much  cultivated,  the  crops 
yield  abundance  of  wine.  It  is  a  hardy  variety,  ripening  here- 
in September. 

PETIT  RAUSCHLING.— PR.  CAT.  No.  133. 

Rausclding,  le  petit.  OrtliebscTier. 

Kleine  rauschling.  Kni-perU. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  productive  varieties  of  the  grape, 
and  is  very  extensively  cultivated  on  the  Rhine,  where  it  is 
much  esteemed.  The  fruit  is  white,  round,  about  the  size  of 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  159 

the  Pineau,  and  of  pleasant  vinous  flavour.  It  is  one  of 
those  vines  which  are  least  affected  by  the  changeableness  of 
the  weather,  and  is  consequently  well  calculated  for  vineyards 
in  climates  subject  to  great  variations  in  this  respect.  It  will 
succeed  in  almost  any  soil,  and  yields  wine  fit  to  be  drank  the 
first  year.  In  consequence  of  its  great  celebrity,  I  obtained  it 
at  different  periods  and  from  various  persons,  by  whom  it  was 
sent  me  under  different  names,  which  I  have  now  arranged  in 
the  list  of  synoiiymes. 

GROS  RAUSCHLING.— PR.  CAT.  No.  134. 

Grand  rauschling.  Rauschling^  le  grand. 

Grosser  rauschling. 

This  is  one  of  the  vines  most  extensively  cultivated  in  the 
Rhenish  vineyards,  and  particularly  those  of  the  northern  part 
of  Fra*nce  bordering  on  the  Rhine.  It  is  very  hardy  and  of 
easy  culture,  grows  vigorously,  and  yields  large  crops  and 
abundance  of  wine.  It  is  one  of  those  best  suited  for  vineyards 

in  this  latitude. 

~\ ' '  ,' 

VICANE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  311. 
Vicame. 

The  berries  of  this  vine  are  white  and  of  oval  form.  It  is 
a  native  of  the  French  department  of  Charente-inferieure,  and 
is  extensively  cultivated  in  the  French  vineyards  situated  near 
the  Rhine. 

RIESSLING.— PR.  CAT.  NO.  137. 

Clairette  de  Limoux.  Kleiner  riessling. 

Petit  riessling,  RiscJding. 

This  is  also  one  of  the  varieties  which  form  the  major  part 
of  the  vineyards  in  the  north  of  France  on  the  Rhine,  and 
is  cultivated  also  near  Limoux,  in  the  department  of  Aude ; 
the  fruit  is  white,  the  vine  very  hardy,  of  easy  culture,  and  it  is 
one  of  those  that  succeed  the  best  among  the  kinds  that  have 
been  introduced  to  this  vicinity. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  «RAPES 

RIESSLING,  LE  GRAND.— PR.  CAT.  No.  138. 

Grosser  riessling. 

This  is  a  variety  of  the  same  class  as  the  preceding ;  the 
fruit  is  of  larger  size,  and  the  vine  is  cultivated  in  the  Rhenish 
vineyards  with  the  former,  but  I  believe  it  is  not  as  much  es- 
teemed. 

The  information  that  has  been  given  in  regard  to  the  ten 
celebrated  Rhenish  varieties  last  described,  has  been  derived 
from  the  highest  possible  source,  being  communicated  to  me 
by  the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  most  extensive  vineyards  on  the 
Rhine,  whose  culture  has  been  eminently  successful,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  very  judicious  selections  he  has  made  in  res- 
pect to  the  varieties  of  vines.  It  is  therefore  with  the  fullest 
confidence  that  I  recommend  them  to  my  fellow-citizens,  as 
calculated  to  succeed  for  vineyards  in  this  latitude,  and  pro- 
bably still  further  north.  In  addition  to  these,  my  Rhenish 
friend  states  that  the  Morillon,  or  Pineau  noir,  the  Pineau  blanc, 
Pineau  gris,  and  Auveras  rouge  clair,  succeed  admirably  in 
the  Rhenish  vineyards,  and  with  the  ten  foregoing  varieties, 
form  the  basis  of  the  fine  vineyards  of  that  section  of  country. 

I  have  at  least  given  a  pretty  strong  proof  of  my  firm  opin- 
ion of  the  success  of  these  fine  varieties  in  our  country,  having 
imported  the  last  spring  above  thirty  thousand  vines,  of  these 
kinds  alone,  which  are  now  in  my  nurseries. 

WHITE  CONSTANTIA. 

Under  this  name  I  have  a  vine  received  from  Paris,  which 
has  produced  excellent  fruit.  The  berries  are  white,  of  oval 
form,  the  flavour  and  taste  resembling  the  chasselas.  It  grows 
vigorously,  and  bears  well.  Thomas  McCall,  Esq.  of  Georgia, 
to  whom  I  sent  a  vine,  pronounces  it  a  beautiful  fruit.  I  do 
not  consider  the  name  above  stated  as  its  true  title,  and  there- 
fore, although  the  fruit  is  excellent,  I  omitted  it  in  my  cata- 
logue. The  true  name  will  probably  be  discovered  by  com- 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  1H1 

paring  it  with  the  other  varieties  in  my  vineyard,  as  soon  as 
they  all  produce  their  fruit. 

VIOLET  CALABRIAN. 

Under  this  name  I  also  received  a  vine  from  Paris,  which  I 
have  omitted  in  my  catalogue  for  the  same  reason  as  the  pre- 
ceding one.  The  fruit,  however,  being  good,  I  on  that  ac- 
count notice  it  here.  The  berries  are  large,  of  pleasant  flavour, 
violet  colour,  and  they  ripen  during  the  month  of  September. 

BORDEAUX  PURPLE. 

1  have  omitted  this  vine  in  my  last  catalogue  from  a  suppo- 
sition that  it  was  probably  a  synonyme.  It  was  imported  about 
ten  years  since  by  Miles  Smith,  Esq.  of  New-Brunswick,  (N.  J.) 
from  Bordeaux.  Some  of  the  scions  were  presented  to  me, 
and  they  produced  a  dark  purple  grape,  of  pleasant  vinous 
flavour,  arriving  at  maturity  early  in  September,  and  for  want 
of  the  real  name,  I  gave  them  the  title  at  the  head  of  this 
article.  The  vine  is  hardy,  and  the  fruit  bears  a  great  affinity 
to  the  Pineau  family. 

ELLIOT'S  LARGE  WHITE. 

Mr.  Smith,  of  Burlington,  (N.  J.)  places  this  among  the 
foreign  grapes,  and  so  I  have  always  considered  it,  but  in  a 
description  recently  received,  it  is  stated  to  be  a  native  vine. 
I  think  there  must  be  some  mistake  in  this  latter  supposition, 
and  perhaps  the  vine  is  not  the  genuine  kind.  I  have  not  my- 
self seen  the  fruit,  but  it  produced  fruit  with  a  correspondent  in 
Salem,  Massachusetts,  the  present  season,  which,  however, 
owing  to  some  cause,  did  not  come  to  maturity. 


21 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

GRAPES  CULTIVATED  IN  THE  CRIMEA. 

Extracted  from  travels  through  the  southern  provinces  of  the  Russian  Um- 
pire.    By  P.  S.  Pallas,  Counsellor  of  State  to  the  Emperor  of  Russia. 

Shira-Isyum,  a  large  mellow  fruit  of  an  oval  form  and  deep 
green  cast  when  reared  in  a  moist  soil,  but  approaching  to 
white  in  dry  situations  ;  it  has  an  uncommonly  thin  skin,  and 
yields  a  great  deal  of  juice  ;  this  grape  matures  sooner  and  is 
more  productive  than  any  other  of  the  Crimean  vines,  it  is  used 
for  wine  and  is  a  pleasant  table  grape,  it  corresponds  with  the 
Aspirant  or  Verdal  of  the  French,  and  the  Grime  Junker  of 
the  Germans. 

The  Kakura-Isyum,  is,  for  Ihe  excellence  of  its  juice,  the 
most  distinguished  grape  of  all  Crim-Tartary,  to  which  and 
the  three  succeeding  species,  the  wines  of  Sudagh  and  Koos, 
are  chiefly  indebted  for  their  superiority ;  the  clusters  are  large 
and  rather  loose,  the  berries  are  oval,  mellow,  and  very  sweet, 
of  a  yellow  or  greenish  hue,  with  a  bloom  of  pearly  white  ;  it 
has  some  resemblance  to  the  Riesslingof  the  Germans. 

Terrgiillmek,  the  berries  are  small,  of  a  yellowish  pearly 
white,  very  thin  skin,  and  uncommonly  sweet. 

Mysliket,  this  resembles  the  great  Riessling  of  the  Germans* 
it  has  loose  clusters,  and  moderately  large  berries  of  a  round 
form,  and  of  a  speckled  brown  colour,  they  have  a  strong  mus- 
cadel  flavour  and  are  as  sweet  as  honey. 

Shabash,  this  vine  grows  very  strong,  with  short  joints  of  a 
reddish  brown  colour,  it  grows  rapidly  and  bears  a  profusion 
of  grapes,  the  berries  are  sometimes  as  large  as  a  crow's  egg, 
of  a  greenish  colour  with  a  white  bloom,  thin  skin,  and  when 
housed  in  October,  will  keep  till  February,  and  by  keeping 
acquire  additional  sweetness. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

Khadym-Barmak,or  Lady's  Finger,  this  vine  grows  strong 
with  short  joints,  the  clusters  are  large,  the  berries  are  white 
and  formed  like  the  last  joint  of  the  little  finger  ;  ripen  early  ; 
the  flesh  is  firm  and  very  sweet. 

Arsakhi,  or  Goafs  Teats,  the  finest  and  richest  of  all  the 
Crimean  grapes  for  table  use,  the  clusters  are  frequently  two 
spans  long,  the  berries  are  the  thickness  of  a  large  finger,  and 
upwards  of  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  tapering  towards  the 
end,  though  obtuse  ;  they  are  of  a  greenish  yellow  colour,  the 
flesh  is  firm  and  adheres  to  the  skin,  the  wood  is  strong  with 
short  joints,  the  old  stocks  stand  erect  like  trees,  the  fruit  may 
be  preserved  to  a  late  period  of  winter. 

The  Balaban-Shabash,  or  Great  Shabash,  is  perhaps  the 
largest  grape  growing  in  the  world,  the  wood  is  strong  with 
short  joints,  the  clusters  are  not  very  large,  the  berries  hang 
closely  together  of  a  perfectly  globular  form,  and  are  equal  hi 
size  to  the  English  walnut  or  Madeira  nut ;  the  flesh  is  firm,  of 
a  pale  greenish  yellow,  covered  with  a  chalky  white  bloom, 
the  taste  though  rather  watery  is  sweet  and  pleasant,  the  trunk 
frequently  attains  the  size  of  a  man's  thigh. 

The  Kirmisi-Misk-Isyum,  or  Albura,  is  a  muscadel  grape  of 
u  beautiful  coral  red,  strong  growth  and  long  twigs,  the  under 
side  of  the  leaves  is  marked  with  strong  red  veins  and  a  very 
fine  downy  velvet,  the  berries  are  round  and  of  an  agreeable 
muscadel  flavour. 

The  Asma,  a  vine  with  lofty  branches,  is  much  cultivated  in 
the  Crimea,  and  is  used  in  making  the  wines  of  Sudagh  and 
Koos,  and  along  the  whole  southern  coast ;  of  all  the  vines,  it 
produces  the  tallest  and  strongest  stems,  the  branches  of  which 
are  trained  to  poles  and  frequently  climb  above  the  trees,  its 
leaves  are  large  and  coarse  to  the  touch,  of  a  dark  green  colour, 
the  under  side  has  a  velvet-like  roughness,  the  clusters  aro 


.NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPHS. 

large  and  weigh  several  pounds,  the  berries  are  also  large  and 
ef  an  oval  form,  of  a  dark  brown  colour  with  a  blueish  bloom. 

Tanagos,  a  luxuriant  species  of  vine  with  a  large  stem  and 
branches,  and  produces  fruit  in  great  abundance  ;  the  clusters 
frequently  weigh  from  six  to  ten  pounds,  ;he  berries  are  round 
and  of  a  brownish  red  colour,  the  skin  is  thin,  the  fruit  though 
watery,  is  of  pleasant  flavour  and  may  be  preserved  a  long 
time  ;  this,  as  well  as  a  large  proportion  of  the  Crimean 
grapes,  has  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  downy. 

Pallas  says,  the  grape  is  an  indigenous  production  abound- 
ing in  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  Crimea. 

There  is  a  great  variety  of  other  foreign  vines,  whose  cha- 
racteristics being  less  known  and  not  defined  with  sufficient 
accuracy,  I  am  unable  at  present  to  give  details  in  regard  to 
them  with  the  requisite  precision,  and  therefore  am  compelled 
to  defer  noticing  them  until  they  have  been  sufficiently  tested  in 
my  experimental  vineyard  ;  I  will,  however,  at  the  end  of  the 
present  work  give  a  complete  list  of  all  I  have  under  culture, 
in  order  to  afford  those  who'  are  desirous  of  an  opportunity  of 
obtaining  information  from  time  to  time,  in  relation  to  the  merits 
of  any  of  the  varieties,  omitted  at  present  to  be  described. 

Among  the  vines  which  may  be  deemed  objects  of  parti- 
cular interest  and  curiosity,  one  may  be  mentioned  that  is  now 
flourishing  in  the  garden  of  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  which  was 
obtained  from  a  park  near  Berkeley,  (England,)  where  young 
shoots  are  found  annually  springing  up  among  the  grass  from 
old  roots  which  still  possess  life,  and  which  are  the  remains  of 
an  ancient  vineyard.  The  produce  of  this  vine  will  be  of 
much  interest,  from  its  making  known  to  us  one  of  the  kinds 
of  grapes  planted  in  British  vineyards  in  former  ages,  and  it 
is  hoped  the  particulars  on  the  subject  will  before  long  be 
made  public,  as  the  vine  has  probably  produced  fruit  ere 
this. 


A'OMENCLATUKE  OF  GKAPES.  105 

AMERICAN  GRAPES. 

The  varieties  of  vines  which  properly  come  under  this  head 
may  be  divided  into  several  classes,  arising  from  the  peculiar 
circumstances  of  their  origin,  viz. 

Vines  of  original  native  ,  species. 
Varieties  of  original  native  species. 
Varieties  obtained  by  admixture  of  nntive  species. 
Varieties  obtained  from  seeds  of  exotic  grapes. 
Varieties  obtained  by  admixture  of  foreign  and  native  va- 
rieties. 

Although  some  of  these  classes  are  already  numerousB 
others  are  yet  very  limited,  and  from  the  short  period  of  time 
that  has  elapsed  since  the  public  attention  and  that  of  intelli- 
gent connoisseurs  has  been  particularly  drawn  to  the  subject 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  elucidate  the  various  points,  and  to  ob- 
tain precise  information,  it  is  yet  impossible  to  form  a  definite 
arrangement  of  all  our  varieties.  The  perfection  of  this  de- 
sirable object  must  therefore  remain  for  future  labours  ^  but  it 
is  to  be  hoped  an  end  so  desirable  will  not  be  lost  sight  of  by 
the  amateurs  of  the  vine  throughout  our  country,  and  that 
each  will,  by  developing  the  various  points  which  fall  within 
his  notice,  contribute  his  mite  towards  a  perfect  arrangement 
of  the  various  classes,  a  precise  nomenclature,  and  a  know- 
ledge of  the  peculiar  qualities  of  the  respective  kinds. 

ISABELLA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  385, 
Gibbs1  grape. 

Vitis  labrusca.  v  Isabella. 

This  grape  is  said  to  be  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and 
was  introduced  to  this  state  by  Mrs.  Isabella  Gibbs,  the  lady 
of  George  Gibbs,  Esq.  of  St.  Augustine,  who  then  resided  at 
Brooklyn,  Long  Island,  and  in  honour  of  that  lady  has  been 
called  Isabella  Grape.  It  is  a  dark  purple  fruit,  of  a  large  size, 
oval  form,  and  juicy,  and  equals  some  of  the  secondary  European 


166 


rVOMENCLATURfl  OF  GRAPES. 


grapes ;  and  for  vigour  of  growth,  and  an  abundant  yield, 
exceeds  any  other  yet  cultivated  in  this  country,  and  requires 
no  protection  during  the  winter  season.  General  Joseph 
Swift  informed  me,  that  a  single  vine  in  his  garden  produced 
above  eight  bushels  during  several  successive  seasons.  In 
some  instances  vines  have  been  stated  to  have  produced  a  still 
greater  quantity,  and  large  vines  of  this  kind,  producing  as- 
tonishing crops,  are  now  to  be  met  with  in  various  parts  of  our 
country.  There  is  no  grape  which  will  yield  a  greater  quan- 
tity on  a  given  space,  or  that  can  be  made  more  lucrative  in 
cultivation  for  market  than  this  kind. 

It  also  promises  to  take  an  important  stand  in  this 
country  for  the  purpose  of  making  wine,  as  it  possesses  the 
requisites  to  insure  success  in  making  wine  of  a  fair  quality, 
or  for  making  brandy  equal  to  that  of  France.  I  have  made 
wine  from  it  of  excellent  quality,  and  which  has  met  the  ap- 
probation of  some  of  the  most  accurate  judges  in  our  country. 
Indeed,  this  grape,  of  which  but  a  single  vine  existed  in  any 
garden  in  1816,  and  which  I,  at  that  time,  met  with  in  the 
possession  of  the  gentleman  before  mentioned,  and  deemed 
worthy  of  notice  and  a  name,  has  now  become  disseminated 
to  the  remotest  parts  of  the  Union,  and  has  been  sent  to  a 
number  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  and  to  Madeira,  fee. ;  and 
although  it  has  never  been  offered  to  the  public  as  on  an  equa- 
lity with  the  highly  cultivated  and  delicious  table  grapes  of 
France,  still  it  offers  to  any  one  who  chooses  to  plant  it,  a 
plentiful  crop  of  pleasant  fruit,  without  requiring  from  him 
the  least  care,  or  needing  in  winter  the  least  protection,  how- 
ever cold  may  be  its  situation.  I  have  also  ascertained  that 
the  bunches  may  be  dried,  as  raisins,  with  the  greatest  facility, 
and  that  they  may  be  preserved  in  dry  sand,  sawdust,  or  any 
other  similar  substance,  for  many  months,  in  the  most  perfect 
state. 

In  regard  to  pruning,  which  to  a  certain  degree  is  advanta- 
geous with  all  vines,  it  has  been  remarked  in  relation  to  this, 
that  if  the  vines  are  much  trimmed  at  the  summer  pruning,  the 
fruit  is  very  apt  to  rot  and  fall  of. 


NOMENCLATUAE  OP  GRAPES.  167 

A  peculiarity  exists  with  regard  to  several  of  our  native 
varieties,  which  is  particularly  exemplified  in  the  Isabella  ;  it  is 
that  of  being  twice-bearing,  or  of  producing  a  second  crop  of 
fruit  on  the  shoots  of  the  same  year,  which  is  frequently  the 
case  with  this  vine ;  but  the  grapes  seldom  attain  to  maturity, 
unless  in  a  season  when  the  autumnal  frosts  are  long  protracted. 

WHITE  SCUPPERNONG.— PR.  CAT.  No.  398. 
Scuppernong.  Roanoke. 

American  muscadine.  Hickman  grape. 

Vitis  rotundifolia. — PURSH. 

The  most  perfect  account  of  this  grape  that  I  recollect  to 
have  seen,  is  from  the  pen  of  James  G.  Hall,  Esq.  of  Curri- 
tuck,  North  Carolina,  and  published  in  Vol.  IX.  No.  18,  of 
the  American  Farmer  ;  and  as  this  grape  is  more  particularly 
cultivated  in  that  region  of  country,  I  give  some  remarks,  ex- 
tracted from  his  communication,  in  preference  to  my  own. — 
This  grape  (he  states)  is  a  native  of  the  north-eastern  part  of 
North  Carolina,  and  grows  spontaneously  on  Roanoke  Island 
and  its  vicinity,  and  formerly  was  called  the  Roanoke  Grape ; 
but,  as  its  excellence  as  a  wine  grape  was  first  tested  at  Scup- 
pernong,  the  grape  has  obtained  that  name  abroad.  The  par- 
ticular excellence  of  it  is  the  richness  of  the  grape,  and  the 
longevity  and  hardiness  of  the  vine.  The  vines  in  North 
Carolina  are  never  pruned,  and  receive  little  attention  other- 
wise. If  they  were  pruned,  and  properly  attended  to,  he  con- 
siders that  a  far  greater  abundance  of  fruit  would  be  produced. 
The  grape  is  round,  white,  very  sweet,  and  of  a  good  size ; 
the  latter  circumstance  depending  much  on  the  vigour  of  the 
vine.  They  are  pleasant  for  the  table,  and  contain  a  large 
quantity  of  saccharine  matter,  so  happily  united  with  the  acids 
of  the  fruit,  as  to  render  them  finely  flavoured  for  the  palate 
and  highly  prized  for  wine.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many  intelli- 
gent persons,  that  the  Scuppernong,  or  Roanoke  wine,  has  a 
richness  and  a  peculiarly  fine  flavour  unknown  in  the  foreign 
wines  which  reach  this  country. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

The  shoots  of  this  vine  are  very  peculiar  on  account  of  die 
grayish  appearance  of  the  bark,  and  for  their  delicacy  and 
smallness  ;  but  they  are  produced  in  such  profusion,  and  are  so 
thickly  covered  with  foliage,  that  where  the  vine  is  left  without 
pruning,  the  fruit  is  almost  totally*  obscured  from  the  sun.  The 
leaves  are  smooth,  light  green,  and  very  shining,  not  lobed  but 
regularly  indented  ;  they  are  small  compared  with  those  of 
most  other  vines,  seldom  exceeding  two  and  a  half  to  three 
inches  in  the  greatest  diameter,  and  in  fact  it  may  be  said  that 
the  whole  aspect  of  the  plant  is  of  a  peculiar  character,  bear- 
Ing  no  resemblance  to  any  other  species.  The  blossoms  ex- 
pand in  June,  and  later  than  those  of  any  other  vine  I  am  ac- 
quainted with  ;  the  berries,  which  ripened  with  me  the  past 
season  for  the  first  time,  were  as  round  as  a  bullet,  of  a  light 
green  hue  even  when  at  full  maturity,  and  of  the  size  of  the 
largest  chasselas  ;  the  skin  is  very  tough  and  rather  thick ;  the 
seeds  green  ;  the  juice  is  abundant,  very  sweet  and  pleasant, 
^nd  of  peculiar  flavour,  and  when  ripe  entirely  free  from  any 
pulp.  It  is  a  pleasant  fruit  for  the  table,  and  judging  from 
the  skin,  I  should  suppose  it  could  be  kept  a  long  time  in  per- 
fection for  eating.  The  clusters  are  never  large,  but  very 
numerous  ;  the  berries  are  very  loosely  and  separately  set, 
which  greatly  aids  their  perfect  maturity.  The  fruit  did  not 
fully  ripen  with  me  the  past  season  until  the  1 5th  of  October, 
but  the  vines  had  been  left  without  pruning,  and  the  clusters 
were  hidden  from  the  sun.  I  think  by  judicious  pruning,  and 
by  training  the  branches  separately,  so  that  the  fruit  would 
be  more  exposed,  it  would  ripen  much  sooner. 

This  vine  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  the  black  va- 
riety by  the  colour  of  the  tendrils,  which  are  green.  All  its 
advantages  considered,  it  promises,  at  no  distant  day,  to  form 
the  basis  of  innumerable  vineyards  in  different  sections  of  the 
country.  I  have  not,  however,  hitherto  considered  it  as  suit- 
able for  this  latitude ;  but  I  am  now  fully  convinced  that  it 
may  be  cultivated  here  also  with  success,  though  I  scarcely  think 
it  would  ripen  its  fruit,  sufficiently  early  much  further  to  the 
norfh. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPHS,  169 

Some  persons  have  claimed  both  this  and  the  Isabella  as 
foreign  varieties  ;  hereafter  perhaps  we  shall  hear  of  foreigners 
claiming  our  lakes  and  our  mountains,  which  they  might  do 
with  quite  as  much  justice. 

It  is  a  dioecious  species,  and  in  order  to  obtain  crops  it  is 
necessary  to  have  vines  of  both  sexes;  from  inattention  to 
pursuing  this  course,  many  persons  have  failed  in  obtaining 
fruit,  and  have  therefore  asserted  'that  their  vines  were  barren 
without  taking  sufficient  pains  to  examine  into  the  cause. 

I  have  received  from  a  Virginian  correspondent,  the  follow- 
ing descriptive  remarks  concerning  a  vine  in  his  possession, 
and  as  they  evidently  refer  to  this  variety,  I  give  them  here  : 

"  The  wood  is  smooth  and  remarkably  hard,  rarely  exhibit- 
ing that  shaggy  appearance  of  the  bark  usual  with  most  other 
vines ;  the  bark  of  the  old  wood  is  of  a  light  iron  colour, 
that  of  the  young  wood  is  of  a  brighter  hue,  marked  with 
small  specks  of  grayish  white  ;  the  leaf  is  finely  indented  or 
serrated,  and  highly  glazed  both  above  and  below  ;  it  is 
tough  and  durable,  remaining  attached  to  the  stem  until  the 
hardest  frosts.  The  berry  is  of  a  greenish  white  colour,  the 
skin  of  a  satin  like  texture,  varied  by  minute  chocolate 
coloured  dots.  It  is  pulpy,  but  easily  dissolves  in  the  mouth, 
and  is  of  a  honey-like  sweetness  and  musky  flavour  and  scent. 
The  berries  are  congregated  in  bunches  of  from  two  to  six 
each,  the  weight  of  the  largest  being  eighty  grains  and  the 
smallest  forty  grains.  The  vine  is  a  great  grower  and  abun- 
dant bearer  ;  its  flowers  have  no  odour  ;  and  it  ripens  its  fruit 
here  (Virginia)  the  last  week  in  September.  The  fruit  differs 
from  the  Black  Scuppernong  only  in  respect  to  colour." 


1*0  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

GREEN  SCUPPERNONG. 

Green  muscadine.  Wild  green  muscadine 

Vitis  rotundifolia,)  far. 

This  was  sent  me  from  the  interior  of  the  state  of  Georgia, 
it  may  prove  to  be  different  from  the  white  variety,  but  it  is 
quite  probable  also  it  may  be  synonymous  with  it,  as  the  fruit 
of  that  is  of  a  greenish  hue. 

BLACK  SCUPPERNONG.— PR.  CAT.  No.  399. 

Purple  scuppernong  ?  Bull  grape. 

Red  scuppernong  ?  Bullet  grape. 

Muscadine.  Bullus. 
Bullace. 

Vitis  rotundifolia,  v.  nigra. — MICHAUX. — PURSH. — TOREY. 

I  have  not  seen  the  fruit  of  this  vine ;  but  as  it  is  produced 
from  the  seeds  of  the  other  in  far  the  greater  proportion,  it 
may  justly  be  considered  as  the  primitive  species,  and  the 
fruit  no  doubt  is  of  the  same  form  and  possesses  the  same  qua- 
lities, with  the  exception  of  the  colour,  which  is  dark  red  or 
purple,  and  in  some  cases  black.  The  tendrils  being  pur  Je 
easily  distinguish  it,  without  seeing  the  fruit ;  the  foliage  is 
also  of  a  darker  hue  and  the  leaves  much  less  in  size  than  the 
white  variety,  but  resemble  it  in  other  respects.  I  think  it 
quite  probable  that  there  are  several  distinct  varieties  of  the 
Scuppernong  with  coloured  fruit,  as  the  descriptions  of  different 
persons  vary  as  to  the  colour—  In  North  Carolina  the  purple 
or  dark  variety  is  by  some  people  preferred  to  the  white,  and 
is  far  more  generally  cultivated  there,  being  that  from  which 
the  wine  is  mostly  made.  The  greatest  weight  of  any  berry 
of  either  of  these  varieties  that  I  have  seen  noticed,  was  of  one 
produced  at  Washington  city,  which  weighed  82  grains ;  but 
it  is  probable  that  berries  of  greater  weight  have  been  pro- 
duced in  its  native  state  and  elsewhere. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  171 

The  wood  of  the  different  varieties  of  the  Scuppernong  is 
very  hard,  which  is  doubtless  the  cause  why  they  do  not  grow 
as  readily  from  cuttings  as  the  generality  of  other  vines ;  for  in 
most  instances  those  who  have  pursued  this  course  of  culture 
have  met  with  a  total  failure.  From  this  circumstance  the 
plants  are  more  scarce  in  the  nurseries  than  other  native  kinds. 
The  vines  of  this  species  spread  their  branches  to  a  great  extent ; 
and  I  have  been  informed  by  a  gentleman  residing  near  New- 
bern,  North  Carolina,  that  those  cultivated  in  that  vicinity,  are 
planted  thirty  feet  from  each  other.  As  the  flowers  of  this 
species  expand  nearer  the  period  at  which  European  vines  pro- 
duce their  flowers  than  is  the  case  with  our  natives  generally, 
it  offers  great  advantages  for  obtaining  hybrid  varieties  by 
admixture  of  the  pollen. 

There  is  one  remark  in  respect  to  seedlings  obtained  from 
this  grape  that  I  can  make  from  experience  as  well  as  from 
the  statements  of  others,  which  is,  that  one  plant  only  in 
about  fifteen  or  twenty  will  be  of  the  white  variety. 

In  regard  to  the  Bullace,  which  is  a  synonymous  title  for 
this  grape,  but  which  I  think  is  often  applied  equally  to  the 
other  varieties  of  this  species,  a  lady  correspondent  at  Che- 
raw,  South  Carolina,  makes  the  following  remark : — "  There 
is  one  kind  of  Bullace  which  I  formerly  cultivated  and  thought 
a  delightful  fruit.  The  vine  is  about  twenty  miles  distant 
from  this  place,  and  from  neglect  the  fruit  has  become  small 
and  is  not  yet  ripe  (Sept.  4th.)" 


AMERICAN  BLACK  MUSCADINE. 

Purple  muscadine.  Muscadine. 

Wild  muscadine.  Bullace. 

Bull,  and  Bullet  grape, 

Vitis  rotundifdia,  var. 

••    ,  •'*  -  , 

This  vine  is  a  variety  of  the  same  species  as  the  preceding, 
but  not  of  equal  quality.     It  and  the  succeeding  variety  are 


172  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

frequently  met  with  in  Virginia,  but  the  natural  locality  of  the 
preceding  one  is  further  to  the  south.  This  is  by  some  con- 
sidered a  tolerable  fruit,  and  contains  much  more  saccharine 
matter  than  the  Sloe,  which  is  probably  the  original  species  ; 
the  berries  are  black,  and  a  correspondent  states  that  they 
are  marked  here  and  there  with  white  specks,  which  are  not 
observable  in  the  Sloe  variety. 

SLOE  GRAPE. 

Vitis  rotundifolici)  var. 

This  vine,  which  is  probably  the  original  whence  the  im- 
proved varieties  of  its  race  have  emanated,  is  inferior  to  all  the 
others  enumerated.  The  fruit  is  sour  and  scarcely  eatable,  and 
of  a  dark  purple  or  black  colour.  Dr.  Norton  remarks  to  me 
that  this  and  the  preceding  variety  are  to  the  White  and  Black 
Scuppernong  of  Carolina,  what  the  Hughes'  crab  apple  is  to 
the  Golden  pippin.  I  have  two  varieties  which  differ  in  respect 
to  size. 

BLACK  OVAL  MUSCADINE. 

Vitis  rotundifolia,  v.  avata. 

This  I  received  from  a  friend  in  Georgia.  It  is  no  doubc 
a  variety  of  the  native  muscadine,  and  will  be  interesting  on 
account  of  the  form  of  the  fruit,  as  so  few  of  our  native  vines 
produce  oval  berries.  I  have  also  received  a  vine  under  the 
same  name  from  Tennessee. 

TENNESSEE  ISLAND  GRAPE. 

An  intelligent  correspondent  informs  me  that  he  thinks  from 
information  he  has  received,  the  vine  called  as  above  in  Ten- 
nessee, will  prove  to  be  the  best  native  grape  of  that  state,  and 
he  has  in  consequence  commenced  cultivating  the  vines.  He 
has  not  himself  seen  the  fruit ;  but  as  the  tendrils  of  the  vines 
are  different  in  colour,  he  expects  the  fruit  will  differ  also  and 
prove  to  be  of  two  varieties,  purple  and  white.  This  vine  de- 
rives its  appellation  from  the  circumstance  of  its  growing 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  173 

wild  and  in  great  abundance  on  the  islands  in  the  Tennessee 
river,  and  my  friend  has  furnished  me  with  the  following  de- 
rails. The  vine  is  stated  to  be  naturally  of  dwarfish  habit,  a 
great  bearer,  and  to  produce  fruit  of  good  size ;  the  leaf  re- 
sembles the  Scuppernong  or  native  Muscadine,  and  the  stock 
that  of  the  common  small  grape.  He  values  it  the  more  par- 
ticularly, because  no  insect  troubles  the  foliage,  although  other 
vines  are  much  injured  by  the  green  caterpillar,  which  often 
destroys  their  leaves  in  toto.  He  mentions  that  the  oval  and 
round  black  muscadine  grapes  grow  naturally  in  that  state,  as 
well  as  some  other  varieties. 

I  expect  the  vine  above  described  will  prove  to  be  of  the 
Scuppernong  family,  and  it  is  quite  probable  it  may  be  the 
genuine  Scuppernong  already  described  as  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  comprising  the  white  and  black  varieties  which  are 
distinguished  by  their  tendrils. 

ALEXANDER.— PR.  CAT.  No.  372. 

Sclmylkill  muscadel.  Pape  of  Good  Hope  grape, 

Spring  Mill  constantia.  Tasker *s  grape. 

Vitis  labrusca  v.  Mexanderia. — PRINCE. 

This  vine  is  a  sure  and  plentiful  one  in  its  crops.  It  has 
been  erroneously  called,  at  the  Spring  Mill  vineyard  and  at 
Philadelphia,  the  Constantia,  or  Cape  of  Good  Hope  grape,  but 
is  unquestionably  a  native  of  our  own  country,  and  originated 
in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia.  It  is  stated  to  have  been 
first  found  growing  on  the  rocky  hills  near  the  Schuylkill 
river,  above  the  upper  ferry,  previous  to  the  revolutionary 
war,  by  a  Mr.  Alexander,  gardener  to  one  of  the  Penns. 
The  berries  are  black  when  fully  ripe,  sweet,  and  of  a  slight 
musky  flavour,  but  contain  a  pulp.  Wine  of  a  fair  quality 
has  been  made  from  this  grape  in  different  sections  of  the 
Union  ;  and  Mr.  Adlum,  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and 
a  number  of  other  gentlemen,  have  succeeded  in  making  from 
it  wine  of  quite  a  pleasant  flavour.  I  have  also  in  my  pos1- 


174 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 


session  some  wine  made  from  it  several  years  old,  which  is  oi 
very  agreeable  flavour,  but  not  equal  to  that  I  have  obtained 
from  some  other  native  varieties.  This  vine  was  largely  cul- 
tivated by  Mr.  Tasker,  whence  it  received  one  of  its  titles. 

It  seems  proper  here  to  remark,  that  Mr.  Adlum  makes  a 
distinction  between  the  Alexander  or  Schuylkill  muscadel, 
and  the  Spring  Mill  Constantia.  The  leaves,  he  states,  are 
very  similar,  but  a  difference  exists  in  the  appearance  of  the 
clusters  of  fruit,  the  latter  being  the  handsomest ;  both  have 
a  pulp,  and  the  Alexander  has  a  little  of  the  Fox  grape  fla- 
vour, but  the  Spring  Mill  Constantia  has  not  any  of  it ;  it  is 
sweet,  without  any  musky  flavour.  Mr.  Adlum,  however, 
considers  both  as  American  grapes,  as  they  most  certainly  are. 
The  author  has  cultivated  them  separately,  so  that  amateurs 
might  gratify  themselves  by  contrasting  the  two  in  their  expe- 
riments. 


CLIFTON'S  CONSTANTIA.— PK.  CAT.  No.  406 

Cape  of  Good  Hope  grape. 
Vitis  lalrusca,  mr. 

I  should  not  enumerate  this  under  a  head  distinct  from  the 
Alexander  were  it  not  that  Mr.  Adlum  conceives  there  is  some 
distinction.  It  is  stated  to  have  originated  in  the  garden  of 
Mr.  Clifton,  Philadelphia,  and  Mr.  C.  remarked  that  it  was 
a  chance  seedling,  unsown  by  any  one.  It  was  obtained  from 
him  by  Peter  Legeaux,  and  extensively  planted  at  the  Spring 
Mill  vineyard ;  and  it  has  been  imposed  on  the  public  as  the 
genuine  Constantia  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  It  is  some 
satisfaction  to  know  that  Americans  were  not  concerned  in 
this  deception.  It  has  the  same,  qualities  as  the  Alexander 
for  wine,  and  they  are  generally  cultivated  and  considered  as 
synonymous,  although  it  appears  the  two  have  been  obtained 
from  different  vines  which  have  not  as  yet  been  traced  to  ono 
original  source. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES,  175 


CATAWBA,—  PR.  CAT.  No.  377. 

Catawba  tokay.  Tokay. 

Muncy,  pale  red  ?  Red  muncy  ? 

Vitis  Utbrusca,  v.  Catawba.— PRINCE, 

This  is  a  large  grape,  of  a  lilac  colour,  and  in  some  situa- 
tions, covered  with  a  beautiful  bloom,  giving  to  it  a  blueish 
purple  appearance.  The  berries  have  a  slight  musky  taste, 
and  delicate  flavour  ;  hang  loosely  on  the  bunches,  which  are  of 
good  size  ;  and,  in  fact,  they  are  beautiful  to  the  eye,  very 
abundant  bearers,  make  an  excellent  wine,  and  are  tolerable 
for  the  table.  The  pulp  diminishes  and  almost  disappears  when 
they  are  left  on  the  vine  until  they  attain  to  perfect  maturity. 

The  colour  of  the  fruit  is  much  varied  according  to  its  rela- 
tive exposition;  such  as  is  fully  exposed  to  the  sun's  rays  is  pur- 
ple, that  but  partially  exposed  is  of  a  lilac  hue,  and  those  clus- 
ters that  are  completely  obscured  and  shaded,  are  nearly  white 
and  the  berries  almost  transparent;  even  in  this  latter  position, 
where  of  course,  the  maturation  is  retarded,  the  fruit  is  sweet, 
but  is  devoid  of  that  musky  flavour  which  is  acquired  by  that 
portion  fully  exposed  to  the  sun  and  heat,  ft  is  earlier  in 
ripening  than  the  Bland,  and  the  berries  and  clusters  are  of 
equal  and  often  rather  larger  size. 

Although  this  grape  is  said  to  be  from  the  river  Catawba, 
still  there  is  much  uncertainty  on  that  point,  as  I  am  informed 
by  Thomas  M'Call,  Esq.  of  Georgia,  a  gentleman  now  far 
advanced  in  years,  that,  in  his  boyhood  he  knew  the  Catawba 
from  its  source,  to  where  it  loses  its  name  in  that  of  the  Wa- 
teree,  and  that  no  such  grape  was  known  there.  Mr.  Adlum 
states,  that  he  procured  it  from  the  garden  of  Mrs.  Schell,  at 
Clarksburg,  Montgomery  county,  Maryland,  and  that  the 
family  informed  him  it  was  called  by  this  name  by  the  late 
Mr.  S.  but  they  knew  not  whence  he  procured  it.  The  vine 
in  Mrs.  S.'s  garden  has  produced  in  one  season,  about  eight 
bushels  of  grapes ;  and  eleven  vines  belonging  to  Joshua  John- 


176  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES, 

stone,  Esq.  of  the  same  state,  and  which  were  reared  from  that 
of  Mrs.  S.  have  already  produced  about  30  bushels  of  fruit 
at  one  time.  The  grape  called,  by  Mr.  Adlum,  Red  muncy, 
and  found  by  him  wild  in  Maryland,  and  also  in  Ly coming 
county,  Pennsylvania,  proved  to  be  very  similar  to  this  kind. 
Mr.  A.  considers  this  grape  "to  be  worth  all  others,  indige- 
nous or  exotic,  as  a  wine  grape,"  and  that  a  greater  variety 
of  wines  may  be  made  from  it  than  from  any  other, 

ELSINGBURGH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  380. 

Elsenburgh.  Elsenborough. 

Blue  Elsingburg.  SmarCs  Elsingborough- 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  Elsingburgensis. — PRINCE. 

This  grape  was  found  near  the  town  whose  name  it  bears, 
in  Salem  county,  New-Jersey,  where  it  would  probably  have 
remained  unregarded,  had  it  not  been  brought  into  notice  and 
cultivation  by  Dr.  Hulings.  It  is  a  very  sweet,  juicy  fruit, 
and  of  a  blue  colour  ;  it  is  very  hardy,  exceedingly  productive, 
and  promises  to  be  valuable  for  wine  ;  the  leaves  assimilate  to 
those  of  the  European  vines  much  more  than  those  of  our  native 
varieties  generally  do,  and  in  colour  they  resemble  the  Bland. 
The  bunches  are  of  middle  size,  and  the  berries  hang  loosely  : 
it  ripens  at  the  same  time  as  the  Meunier,  and  is  free  from 
pulp  or  musky  taste,  and  has  generally  but  two  seeds.  It  is 
undoubtedly  a  native,  all  the  characteristics  of  which  it  bears. 
Its  wood  resembles  that  of  the  Isabella;  but  the  fruit  approxi- 
mates more  to  the  Meunier  of  France  than  any  other  American 
grape. 

RAISIN  DE  COTE.—PR.  CAT.  No.  395. 

Of  this  grape,  a  native  of  Louisiana,  there  are  two  varie- 
ties, which  are  found  through  a  vast  extent  of  territory  from 
the  Attakapas  to  the  Missouri.  The  variety  or  species  most 
known,  is  dark  blue  and  round ;  skin  rather  thick,  and  the 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  177 

fruit  somewhat  pulpy,  extremely  sweet  and  not  musky.  The 
above  title  is  one  given  by  the  French  settlers  in  that  district 
of  country. 

RED  BLAND.— PR.  CAT.  No.  374. 

Eland's  pale  red.  Blond's  Virginia. 

Powel.  Eland's  Madeira. 

Powal.  Red  scuppernong. 

Eland's  fox  grape.  Carolina 

Vitis  Idbrusca  Blanda.  Mazzei  grape. 

Red  English  grape,  > 

r,     ,.  ,  >  ot  some  districts  of  Virginia. 

English  grape,          > 

Vitis  Blanda. 
Vitis  BlandL— PRINCE. 

The  foliage  of  this  vine  is  of  a  pale  green  hue  ; 
the  bunches  are  shouldered  or  divided,  and  are  five  or  six 
inches  in  length,  and  sometimes  more.  The  berries  are  of 
a  round  or  oblate  form,  of  a  pale  red  colour,  good  size,  juicy, 
sweet,  and  of  very  pleasant  flavour.  In  some  cases  they  are 
said  at  full  maturity  to  become  of  a  dark  purple  or  red  wine 
colour ;  it  is  an  agreeable  table  fruit,  with  a  thin  skin  and  little 
or  no  pulp,  and  is  also  a  wine  grape  of  very  superior  order  to 
many  of  the  varieties  cultivated  as  such  ;  indeed,  a  person  has 
but  once  to  taste  this  grape  to  form  his  decision  on  this  point. 
It  has  been  supposed  for  many  years  to  be  a  native  of  Virginia, 
and  its  origin  has  been  the  subject  of  much  discussion.  A 
Virginian  gentleman,  whose  opinion  I  highly  respect,  stated 
to  me  that  it  was  an  Italian  grape,  and  was  brought  from 
Italy  by  Mr.  Mazzei,  and  his  statements  had  so  much  weight 
with  me  that  I  almost  resigned  my  own  judgment  thereto  ;  but 
I  have  now  to  aver  that  it  is  certainly  a  native,  and  that  vines 
sent  to  Col.  George  Gibbs,  of  this  island,  from  North  Caro- 
lina, under  the  name  of  the  Red  scuppernong,  have  proved  to 
be  identically  fliis  same  variety,  and  vines  have  also  been  re- 
ceived by  others  from  that  state  which  have  afforded  the  same 
result.  It  appears,  also,  that  this  grape  was  cultivated  in  our 
country  before  Mr,  Mazzei  visited  it,  and  the  vines  he  brought, 

23 


178 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


however  closely  they  may  have  resembled  it,  could  not  there- 
fore  have  been  of  this  kind. 

Another  fact  is  certain,  that  several  native  vines  which  I 
have  received  from  different  parts  of  our  country,  so  greatly 
resemble  in  foliage,  wood,  and  manner  of  growth  the  real 
Bland  grape,  that  I  strongly  suspect  further  examination 
will  identify  them  with  it,  and  prove  that  this  variety  is  found 
wild  in  more  than  one  state  of  the  Union.  And  even  among 
those  native  varieties,  whose  fruit  essentially  differs,  there 
are  several  whose  foliage  possesses  the  same  general  character- 
istics, particularly  in  regard  to  colour  and  form,  insomuch 
that  I  doubt  not  but  further  investigation  will  class  them  un- 
der one  head  as  the  varieties  of  a  single  species,  distinct  from 
V.  labrusca,  or  form  them  into  a  group  of  natural  hybrids. 

It  appears  that  Colonel  Bland,  of  Virginia,  was  among  the 
first  that  brought  this  vine  into  notice  and  cultivation,  from 
which  circumstance  his  cognomen  was  attached  to  it  at  that 
time,  by  which  title  it  has  been  most  generally  known  since. 

The  original  vine  is  said  to  have  been  found  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Virginia,  by  Col.  B.  who  presented  scions  of  it  to 
Mr.  Bartram,  and  to  the  late  Samuel  Powel,  Esq.  and  some 
of  the  persons  who  obtained  it  from  the  latter  gave  it  the 
title  of  Powel  grape  after  him. 

Dr.  Norton,  of  Virginia,  the  gentleman  previously  referred 
to,  and  whose  opinion  certainly  merits  much  weight,  differs 
from  me  in  the  statements  here  advanced  as  to  its  origin,  and 
in  a  recent  letter  makes  the  following  remarks : — "  It  is  hardly 
probable  that  this  fruit  should  have  escaped  my  observation  if 
it  was  indigenous  to  my  country,  having  walked  so  repeatedly 
through  the  forest  lands  in  most  quarters  of  the  state,  always 
having  an  eye  to  its  productions.  No  such  grape  belongs  to 
America,  I  assure  you ;  I  have  found  grapes  resembling  the 
Bland  on  the  borders  of  neglected  old  fields ;  and  amongst 
the  ruins  of  the  gardens  which  were  established  in  the  early 
settlement  of  the  country,  the  Bland  grape  itself.  The  first  I 
considered  as  a  seedling  of  the  Mazzei  grape,  but  I  have  never 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  179 

known  it  to  equal  the  stock  whence  it  came.  The  existence  of 
tlie  last  is  easily  accounted  for  :  I  can  but  infer  that  superficial 
observers  have  furnished  you  with  slips  from  one  of  these  two 
sources."  On  my  own  part,  I  will  only  further  remark,  that 
in  regard  to  the  claims  of  its  foreign  origin,  I  think  it  will  be 
quite  in  time  to  consider  themr  when  we  are  presented  with 
an  imp&rted  variety  resembling  it. 

Heretofore  this  grape  has  been  deemed  unsuitable  for  lati- 
tudes to  the  north  of  this  state  ;  but  it  is  now  found  to  succeed 
perfectly  at  Boston,  where,  the  past  season,  the  fruit  has  at- 
tained to  complete  maturity  by  the  last  of  September  or  be- 
ginning of  October. 

COLUMBIA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  378. 
Rackoon  grape.  Raccoon  grape. 

Vitis  (KStivdis  ?  v.  Columbia, — PRINCE. 

This  grape  was  found,  by  Mr.  Adlum,  on  his  farm  at  George- 
town. The  bunches  are  small,  but  numerous,  and  the  berries 
round,  deep  purple,  approaching  to  black,  thinly  placed  on 
the  cluster,  and  about  the  size  of  a  small  fox  grape,  but  have 
not  that  peculiar  scent  which  fox  grapes  possess.  It  has  con- 
siderable pulp,  but  is  quite  sweet  when  fully  ripe,  and  yields  a 
high  coloured  juice  ;  in  rich  grounds  its  shoots  are  as  strong, 
and  its  leaves  as  large  as  the  Isabella,  and  the  latter  are  of  a 
brick  colour  on  the  under  side. 

WORTHINGTON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  404. 

Vitis  labrusca  ?  v.  Worthingtonii. — PRINCE. 

This  is  a  native  found  near  Annapolis,  Maryland.  It  is 
smaller  than  the  common  fox  grape,  and  black ;  it  yields  a 
very  highly  coloured  juice,  is  a  very  great  bearer,  and,  by 
some  is  much  esteemed  ;  the  juice  has  been  used  to  mix 
with  that  of  other  grapes  in  making  wine,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Teinturier  is  in  Europe,  to  which  it  imparts  a 
fine  colour,  and  agreeable  flavour.  When  the  fruit  is  fully 
ripe,  it  is  tolerably  sweet,  with  a  considerable  degree  of  as- 
tringency,  Mr.  Adlum  states,  that  by  mixing  the  wine  of 


180  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

this  kind  with  that  of  the  Schuylkill  grape,  it  imparts  a  cha- 
racter between  port  and  claret. 


.MUNCY,  PALE  RED.— PR.  CAT.  No.  391. 

This  grape  was  discovered  in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  also  in  Maryland.  The  foliage  much  resembles 
the  Bland  ;  the  fruit  is  of  a  pale  red  colour,  and  hangs 
loosely  on  the  bunches,  which  are  of  good  size.  It  ripens 
late,  is  sweeter  than  many  native  grapes,  and  the  vine  is  pro- 
ductive. It  is  considered  by  Mr.  Adlum,  of  Columbia,  quite 
an  acquisition  to  our  collection  of  American  grapes,  as  being 
capable  of  producing  excellent  wine.  This  grape  has,  by 
close  comparison,  been  found  so  similar  to  the  Catawba,  as  not 
to  be  readily  distinguished,  which  would  seem  to  favour  the 
idea  that  the  Catawba  did  not  originate  in  Georgia,  but  is, 
in  fact,  a  native  of  Maryland.  Some  persons  have  remarked 
that  there  exists  a  slight  difference  in  flavour  between  this  and 
the  Catawba. 

BLACK  FOX.— PR.  CAT.  No.  381. 

Purple  Fox.  Vitis  taurina,  Walter. 

Vitis  vulpina,  Bartram. 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  nigra. — MICHAUX. — PURSH. — TORRET. 

This  is  the  wild  variety  most  common  in  this  state  and  to  the 
north  and  east  of  it.  The  fruit  is  a  very  deep  purple  or  black, 
generally  of  large  size  and  oblate  form,  and  the  berries  hang 
loosely  on  the  bunch  ;  they  have  a  strong  fox-like  scent, 
which  I  think  is  possessed  to  a  greater  degree  by  this  than  by 
the  red  and  white  varieties  ;  the  skin  is  thick  and  the  pulp 
tough,  but  in  some  cases  varieties  have  been  found  wild  which 
possess  those  disadvantageous  qualities  to  a  much  less  degree ; 
and  in  some  vines  which  have  been  reared  from  seeds  or  im- 
proved by  culture,  they  are  scarcely  perceptible.  In  this  sec- 
tion of  country  large  vines  are  almost  every  where  to  be  met 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES  181 

with  overrunning  the  hedges  and  mounting  trees  ;  the  berries  of 
this  and  the  other  varieties  of  the  same  species  are  collected 
and  sold  in  large  quantities  in  our  markets  in  a  green  state  at 
the  period  when  they  have  nearly  attained  their  full  size,  and 
then  serve  to  make  excellent  tarts  and  preserves,  and  are  also 
used  frequently  for  pickling. 

As  far  as  past  experience  has  extended,  it  appears  that 
better  seminal  varieties  are  obtained  from  this  than  from  the 
red  fruited  kind ;  but  further  experiments  may  prove  that  this 
remark  is  not  without  exceptions.  Although  this  vine  makes 
strong  shoots,  and  grows  vigorously,  extending  its  branches 
over  hedges  and  spreading  over  trees  of  moderate  size  to  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  main  root,  still  it  is  considered 
as  one  distinguishing  mark  of  the  species  that  it  never  mounts 
to  a  great  height,  whereas  the  varieties  of  Vitis  sestivalis  often 
ascend  the  loftiest  trees  of  the  forest. 

WHITE  FOX.— PR.  CAT.  No.  383. 

Vitis  labnisca,  v.  alba. 

This  vine  produces  large  berries  of  oblate  form,  which  vary 
somewhat  in  size  on  the  same  bunch ;  they  are  not  perfectly 
white,  but  are  tinged  with  a  pale  russet  or  amber  colour.  Al- 
though a  coarse  grape,  yet  it  is  a  more  pleasant  fruit  than 
some  other  varieties,  and  is  considered  by  those  who  do  not 
possess  the  finer  kinds,  as  a  tolerable  eating  grape.  The 
leaves  are  large ;  the  vine  is  of  rapid  growth,  and  produces 
plentiful  crops. 

It  is  believed  to  have  afforded  berries  of  greater  weight 
than  any  other  native  or  exotic  vines  in  cultivation ;  several 
specimens  were  exhibited  at  York,  Pennsylvania,  the  past  year, 
from  a  vine  which  had  been  transplanted  from  the  forest  and 
placed  nedr  a  spring,  the  average  size  and  weight  of  which 
were  far  greater  than  what  the  vine  produced  in  its  natural  state. 
One  of  the  larger  berries  weighed  153  grains,  another  162, 
and  a  third  164  grains,  and  the  latter  measured  three  and 
three-eighth  inches  in  circumference. 


182  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

From  such  variations  produced  by  trivial  attention,  it  may 
justly  be  inferred  that  this  variety  may  be  subjected  to  far 
greater  melioration  and  improvement  by  proper  attention  to 
its  culture,  &c.  and  by  the  production  of  seminal  varieties. 


RED  FOX.— PR.  CAT.  No.  382. 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  rosea. 

The  fruit  is  large,  of  oblate  form,  and  of  a  brick  red  colour ; 
it  has  a  hard  pulp,  and  not  a  great  deal  of  juice,  but  is  very 
odorous  or  musky  ;  it  makes  the  most  exquisite  confectionary, 
in  the  form  of  jelly — this  is  made  with  an  equality  of  sugar, 
the  fruit  being  strained  to  separate  the  skins  and  seeds  (water 
with  it  of  course) — it  must  then  be  evaporated  slowly,  until 
of  the  proper  consistence  ;  the  flavour  of  the  jelly  is  rich  and 
delicately  musky. 

Professor  Gimbrede  has  reared  several  varieties  of  this 
grape  from  seeds,  some  of  which  are  of  very  large  size,  and 
others  sweeter  than  the  common  variety ;  the  whole  class, 
however,  is  deficient  in  high  vinous  properties. 

BAUCHMAN'S  RED  FOX. 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  rosea  maxima. 

This  vine  I  received  from  C.  Bauchman,  Esq.  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  gentleman  who  possesses  a  great  fund  of  information 
in  respect  to  the  different  varieties  of  grapes,  their  culture,  &c. 
and  who  has,  in  connection  with  his  friend  Jacob  B.  Garber, 
Esq.  of  the  same  state,  rendered  me  great  aid  on  important 
points,  with  regard  to  the  respective  qualities  of  our  native 
vines,  and  the  success  attending  vineyards  in  that  state,  &c. 

The  fruit  of  this  vine  is  of  remarkably  large  size,  measur- 
ing frequently  above  three  inches  in  circumference.  In  its 
flavour  and  colour  it  resembles  the  common  red  fox. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  183 

r  -. 

;      • 

TEXAS,  DIVERSE  LEAVED.— PR.  CAT.  No.  402. 
Vitis  dwersifolia. — PRINCE. 

1  have  received  a  species  of  grape  from  the  border  of  Texas, 
which  I  have  named  as  above,  on  account  of  the  very  great 
variation  in  the  form  of  the  leaves,  a  part  of  which  are  simple, 
others  three  lobed,  and  some  fiv.e  lobed ;  they  are  also  very 
downy  on  the  under  side.  The  person  who  sent  it  states,  that 
they  do  not  run  much  to  vines,  but  grow  about  three  or  four 
feet  high,  and  then  bend  over  and  fall  to  the  ground  ;  and 
that  they  produce  a  great  abundance  of  very  good  grapes. 

Having  cultivated  this  vine  two  seasons,  I  have  found  it  to 
be  less  inclined  to  form  long  shoots  than  other  native  varieties ; 
one  shoot,  however,  has  attained  to  eight  or  nine  feet  in 
length.  The  vines  being  small  and  weak  when  received,  they 
have  not  yet  produced  fruit,  but  I  anticipate  having  fruit  next 
year. 

I  have  also  some  vines,  the  seeds  of  which  my  correspon- 
dent writes  me,  "  were  procured  from  the  north-west  pass  of 
the  Rio  Grande,  or  Rio  del  Norte,  in  Texas,  five  hundred  miles 
west  of  St.  Antoine,  and  one  thousand  from  Natchitoches." 
He  states  that  they  grow  in  abundance  on  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  are  tolerably  large  and  fine  flavoured. 

TEXAS,  CURIOUS  FOLIAGE. — PR.  CAT.  No.  401. 

Vitis  diversifolia,  var. 

\ 

This  vine  I  received  from  a  source  different  from  that  of  the 
other  Texas  variety  I  have  described.  It  bears  much  resem- 
blance to  that  in  its  dwarf  growth,  but  differs  in  foliage  ;  the  fruit 
I  have  not  yet  seen.  My  correspondent,  who  sent  this  kind, 
remarks  thus,  in  a  letter  recently  received — "  Instead  of  the 
Texas  grape  being  sour,  as  I  described  it  heretofore,  the  better 
opinion  seems  to  be  that  it  is  a  large,  slightly  reddish  fruit, 
very  juicy,  sweet,  and  with  little  or  no  pulpy  coherence,  of 


184        .  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

course  a  good  table  grape.  In  the  prairie  country  of  Texas, 
where  it  abounds,  the  old  grass  is  annually  burnt  off,  and  the 
vine  shares  the  same  fate  ;  in  the  spring  season  it  shoots  out  of 
the  ground  from  the  old  roots  very  luxuriantly,  and  falls  all 
round  upon  the  ground,  borne  down  by  the  multitude  of  its 
fruit." 

j  .    V,  /" 

MISSOURI.— PR.  CAT.  No.  390. 
Missouri  seedling. 

•          Vitis  Missouriensis. 

The  fruit  is  as  sweet  as  the  Meunier,  and  has  not  more 
seeds ;  its  appearance  is  similar  to  the  Elsingburg.  Some  of  the 
grapes  of  that  region  have  been  found  to  have  a  superabun- 
dance of  seeds,  from  which  this  is  free.  This  vine  may,  by 
culture,  prove  a  valuable  acquisition. 

LONG'S  ARKANSAS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  386. 

Vitis  LongiL — PRINCE. 

This  grape,  which  was  found  by  Major  Long  on  or  near 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  possesses  foliage  so  very  peculiar,  as  to 
distinguish  it  from  all  others  I  have  seen.  The  leaves  are 
deeply  indented  on  the  edges,  and  of  singular  appearance, 
bearing  some  affinity  to  those  of  the  Scuppernong,  but  three  or 
four  times  the  size  ;  the  wood  rather  delicate  in  point  of  thick- 
ness, but  surpassing  every  other,  except  the  Vitis  riparia,  in 
its  rapid  growth,  and  overrunning  every  thing  in  its  vicinity. 
The  fruit,  however,  is  small,  sour,  very  full  of  seeds,  and  will 
not  bear  a  comparison  with  the  Missouri  and  other  American 
grapes.  This,  the  Isabella,  and  the  Elkton,  are  considered  to 
be  the  best  to  use  as  stocks  to  ingraft  on. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  185 

LUFBOROUGH.—  PR.  CAT.  No.  388. 
Vitis  labrusca,  var. 

This  is  a  fox  grape,  found  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from 
Georgetown,  district  of  Columbia.  It  is  larger  and  better 
than  the  Elkton,  and  has  a  very  rich  appearance.  The  ber- 
ries are  quite  large,  colour  dark  purple,  and  juice  very  sweet, 
with  the  flavour  common  to  fox  grapes  ;  the  pulp,  however, 
dissolves  in  the  fermentation,  as  is  the  case  with  many  other 
varieties,  and  it  makes  a  very  good  red  wine. 
f 

ELKTON.— PR.  CAT.  No.  379. 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  ElktonL— PRINCE. 

A  very  large  native  fox  grape,  of  a  deep  purple  colour,  with 
beautiful  crimson  coloured  juice  ;  the  fruit  quite  fragrant.  It 
has  much  pulp,  but  has  been  considered  by  some  as  capable  of 
making  good  wine,  though  I  do  not  know  that  the  experiment 
has  been  yet  made  with  it  separately. 

PELL'S  ILLINOIS.— PR.  CAT.  No.  405. 

Vitis  Ulinoensis.— PRINCE. 

This  is  a  native  sent  me  by  the  Hon.  G.  T.  Pell,  of  Illinois, 
and  which  he  states  "  in  unskilful  hands  has  made  good  wine." 
It  was  found  wild  in  the  prairies  of  that  region.  I  have  re- 
ceived from  the  same  gentleman  seeds  of  several  varieties 
found  on  the  borders  of  the  prairies,  which  are  now  growing 
in  my  garden.  Among  these  is  a  variety  of  the  same  species 
as  the  preceding  one,  but  which  he  states  differs  from  it  in  the 
form  of  the  bunches,  they  being  shouldered  like  many  of  the 
foreign  kinds. 

24 


186  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

MUNCY,  BLACK.— PR.  CAT.  No.  392. 

Vitis  labmsca,  var. 

This  was  found  on  the  same  farm  as  the  pale  red  Muncy,  il 
is  a  very  productive  vine,  but  the  fruit  being  harsh  and  unplea- 
sant, is  not  considered  worthy  of  cultivation,  though  it  is 
possible,  that  wine  made  from  it  might  become  meliorated  by 
age,  and  at  all  events  it  might  answer  as  a  subsitute  for  hock 
wine. 

NORTON'S  VIRGINIA  SEEDLING.— PR.  CAT.  393. 

Vitis  JVorfoni. — PRINCE. 

This  very  distinct  variety  owes  its  origin  to  Doctor  D.  N. 
Norton,  of  Virginia,  whose  assiduity  and  devoted  attention  to 
the  culture  of  the  vine  for  a  period  of  years  place  him  among 
the  distinguished  connoisseurs  of  the  subject.  It  was  raised 
from  the  seed  of  the  Bland,  which  fructified  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Meunier  or  Miller's  Burgundy ;  there  exists,  consequently, 
some  probability  that  it  is  a  hybrid  between  these  two.  In 
appearance  the  vine  much  resembles  the  former  of  the  two,  to 
which  its  foliage  closely  assimilates. 

The  shoots  are  strong  and  vigorous,  and  of  a  red  colour. 
The  vine  resists  the  cold  of  the  most  severe  winters,  never 
failing  to  produce  fruit  and  that  most  profusely,  thriving  even 
without  pruning,  and  requiring,  at  most,  but  a  partial  use  of 
the  pruning  instrument,  and  almost  equalling  the  Isabella  in 
its  rapid  extension  ;  like  that  vine  it  is  also  well  calculated  for 
arbours,  bowers,  large  espaliers,  &c.  The  fruit  is  of  the 
darkest  purple  or  black  colour  and  ripens  in  September,  but 
will  remain  on  the  vine  with  a  great  increase  of  the  saccha- 
rine principle  (as  is  the  case  with  the  finest  wine  grapes  of 
France)  until  the  end  of  October  in  this  latitude,  and  until 
the  first  of  November  in  Virginia.  The  bunches  are  usually 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  187 

eight  or  nine  inches  long  on  the  old  and  strong  vines,  and 
weigh  about  a  quarter  of  a  pound  each ;  the  berries  begin  to 
form  a  conical  bunch  on  the  stem  at  a  distance  of  several 
inches  from  the  place  of  its  attachment  to  the  wood  ;  they 
are  round  and  a  little  flattened  at  the  end,  and  about  the  size  of 
the  Meunier ;  they  do  not  contain  a  great  quantity  of  juice,  but 
what  they  yield  is  of  the  richest  quality;  the  skin  is  replete 
with  a  violet  coloured  matter,  which  imparts  to  the  wine  a  shade 
equal  to  the  Tinto  Madeira,  which  last  it  resembles  as  well  in 
taste  as  in  appearance. 

In  conclusion,  I  will  state  a  remark  of  Dr.  Norton,  to*  whom 
I  am  indebted  for  the  most  part  of  the  foregoing  description, 
that  "  for  the  purpose  of  making  wine,  this  is  hardly  to  be 
excelled  by  any  foreign  variety." 

YORK  MADEIRA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  407. 

It  certainly  is  a  pitiful  course  for  Americans  to  be  continu- 
ally adopting  foreign  titles  for  the  natural  productions  of  their 
own  soil.  It  would  seem  to  indicate  a  total  unbelief  in  the 
value  of  our  indigenous  productions,  which  I  trust  is  but  sel- 
dom the  case,  for  I  had  hoped  that  the  period  at  which  we  un- 
dervalued the  blessings  which  Providence  has  showered  on 
our  favoured  land  had  long  since  passed  away.  I  cannot  re- 
frain from  giving  place  to  these  remarks  from  the  great  con- 
fusion and  misconception  which  is  caused  on  all  sides  by  this 
false  nomenclature,  and  I  propose  that  the  foreign  titles  be 
dropped  in  every  case  and  appropriate  ones  substituted. 

This  vine,  with  the  foreign  title  of  Madeira,  is  a  genuine 
native,  and  proves,  on  examination,  to  be  the  same  as  the  Al- 
exander, or  Schuylkill  muscadel.  It  is  very  extensively  culti- 
vated in  the  vineyards  in  the  vicinity  of  York,  Pennsylvania, 
and  it  is  this  kind  which  is  at  present  relied  on  in  those  vineyards 
for  a  crop,  but  the  native  variety  called  there  the  Claret,  and 
the  fine  native  Catawba,  are  expected  by  some  of  the  most 
intelligent  cultivators  of  that  locality  to  take  precedence  and 
supersede  the  variety  first  named. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

YORK  CLARET, 

Vitis  labrusca,  var. 

This  is  also  a  genuine  native,  but  has  been  erroneously 
called  Claret  grape.  It  is  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  near 
York,  Pa.  where  it  is  much  esteemed  for  wine,  and  its  culture 
is  fast  extending  there  and  elsewhere  on  account  of  the  high 
value  in  which  it  is  held,  it  being  generally  preferred  to  the 
Alexander. 

It  differs  from  the  Alexander  in  several  respects  :  the  vine 
is  smaller  in  its  parts,  though  of  a  more  flourishing  appearance, 
the  foliage  is  of  a  darker  green,  and  it  retains  its  verdure 
later  in  the  season  than  almost  any  other  vine ;  the  bunches 
and  berries  are  smaller  than  those  of  the  Alexander,  and  the 
latter  are  more  closely  set  on  the  clusters,  and  the  produce  of 
the  vine  is  more  abundant.  When  perfectly  ripe  it  is  without 
pulp  and  very  replete  with  sweet  juice,  which  is  nearly  as  dark 
as  a  Morello  cherry.  It  is  thought  by  the  cultivators  at  York  to 
agree  better  with  the  climate  than  any  other,  and  the  general 
opinion  seems  to  be,  that  wine  of  a  very  superior  quality  may 
be  made  from  it.  When  perfectly  ripe  the  fruit  is  as  fine  for 
the  table  as  the  better  part  of  our  native  kinds,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Catawba,  Isabella,  and  one  or  two  others. 

YORK  LISBON. 

Vitis  labrusca,  var. 

This  is  also  one  of  the  varieties  cultivated  in  the  vineyards 
of  York  bearing  a  foreign  title,  and  has  considerable  affinity 
to  the  Alexander,  but  the  grape  is  larger  and  a  little  elongated ; 
and  the  pulp  is  more  acid. 

It  also  differs  in  being  a  coarser  and  more  pulpy  fruit, 
and  in  possessing  more  of  the  fox  flavour,  and  it  is  inferior 
to  that  for  wine  and  the  table.  The  plant  is  also  of  larger 
and  more  vigorous  growth  than  either  that  or  the  Claret  above 
described.  It  is  found  to  be  a  sure  grape  in  its  crops,  and  is 
much  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  referred  to. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  189 

HERBEMONT'S  ARENA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  373. 

Arena,  of  Herbemont. 

This  I  received  from  the  gentleman  whose  name  it  bears.— * 
It  was  called  by  him  Arena,  on  account  of  its  being  a  native 
of  sand  hills,  that  being  the  situation  where  it  is  found  wild  in 
South  Carolina.  It  makes  a  very  excellent  red  wine,  which  is 
thought  by  Mr.  Herbemont  to  be  the  very  first  in  rank  among 
American  wines  made  of  native  grapes.  It  improves  greatly 
by  age,  and  when  sixteen  months  old  has  been  much  approved 
by  amateurs  ;  and  at  an  exhibition  of  wines  by  Mr.  H.  to  the 
Agricultural  Society  of  South  Carolina,  it  received  their  enco- 
miums and  was  pronounced  a  very  superior  wine. 

JORDAN'S  LARGE  BLUE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  38. 
Jordan's  blue. 

I  arranged  this  vine  in  my  catalogue  among  the  exotic 
varieties,  as  such  I  judged  it  to  be  from  casual  observation  of 
the  foliage.  Mr.  Smith,  of  New- Jersey,  however,  thinks  differ- 
ently, and  enumerates  it  among  the  native  varieties  ;  I  there- 
fore give  the  account  of  it  which  I  received  from  him.  He 
states  that  it  was  brought  to  New-Jersey  from  New-England 
by  Richard  Jordan,  Esq.  that  it  is  a  large  blue  pulpy  grape 
growing  in  large  bunches,  and  that  it  is  said  to  have  yielded 
wine  that  was  preferred  by  the  Agricultural  Society  to  Madeira. 
My  original  vine  was  obtained  from  the  same  source,  whence 
the  above  description  proceeds.  I  have  not  yet  myself  seen 
its  fruit,  but  shall  have  a  crop  the  present  year,  which  will  af- 
ford an  opportunity  of  giving  a  final  decision  as  to  its  foreign 
or  native  origin.  The  leaves  of  my  vines  greatly  resemble 
those  of  the  foreign  varieties  ;  and  as  it  is  possible  that  an  er- 


190 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


ror  may  have  been  committed  at  the  time  of  receiving  the 
original  plant,  I  have  obtained  several  others  to  compare 
with  it. 


MORRIS'  SEEDLING  MALAGA. 

• » " 

Large  Blue  Seedling  from  the  White  Malaga. 

This  vine  was  reared  from  a  seed  of  the  White  Malaga  by 
the  lady  of  Richard  Hill  Morris,  Esq.  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
from  the  sportive  character  of  the  species  produced  blue  fruit. 
The  berries  are  large  and  rather  closely  set,  and  it  is  an  ex- 
cellent table  fruit. 

COOPER'S  WINE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  39. 

This  grape  I  am  informed  by  Caleb  R.  Smith,  Esq.  of 
New-Jersey,  is  a  native  of  that  state,  where  it  was  first  intro- 
duced to  notice  by  Joseph  Cooper,  Esq.  The  vine  is  of 
vigorous  growth,  and  produces  abundantly  ;  the  berries  are 
round,  of  a  medium  size  and  purple  colour,  and  those  which 
are  ripened  in  the  most  favourable  situations  are  tolerable  for 
eating,  its  particular  value  however  is  for  the  purpose  of  mak- 
ing wine.  By  an  inadvertency  it  was  placed  in  my  catalogue 
under  the  head  of  exotic  vines,  but  I  presume  it  is  justly  en- 
titled to  be  considered  a  native. 

CARTER'S  FAVORITE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  376. 

The  foliage  of  this  vine  has  much  similarity  to  the  Bland ; 
the  fruit  I  have  not  yet  seen,  but  it  is  represented  as  a  valua- 
ble grape  by  my  esteemed  correspondent  George  Carter,  Esq. 
of  Virginia,  who  has  concentrated  at  his  seat  in  that  state  a 
great  variety  of  the  most  choice  and  rare  vines,  exotic  as  well 
as  native,  besides  a  very  large  collection  of  other  fruits.  Mr. 
C.  does  not  state  that  it  is  positively  distinct  from  all  others, 
but  leaves  that  point  to  be  determined  by  experience. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  191 


DENNISTON  GRAPE. 

The  first  notice  of  this  vine  I  received  from  Isaac  Denniston, 
Esq.  of  this  state,  and  I  give  a  description  recently  received 
in  his  own  words. 

"  The  native  grape  which  I  before  mentioned  I  had  acci- 
dentally become  possessed  of,  was  first  known  to  me  about 
seven  years  ago.  It  was  found  ^on  an  island  in  the  Hudson 
river  about  thirteen  miles  below  Albany,  a  person  who  had 
discovered  it  in  bearing,  afterwards  brought  the  vine  to  my 
son-in-law  Dr.  Elliot,  and  I  planted  it  in  my  garden*  It  pro- 
duced grapes  the  size  of  the  Isabella,  and  I  think  it  a  much 
finer  table  grape  than  that.  The  pulp  is  similar  to  the  Isabella, 
the  colour  yellowish  red,  and  it  has  a  Jittle  of  the  musky  taste, 
and  when  ripe  is  uncommonly  fragrant.  The  vine  is  luxu- 
riant and  a  great  runner.  Being  indigenous  and  hardy,  it 
of  course  does  not  require  to  be  protected.  I  have  no  name 
for  it,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  of  any  vine  in  this  part  of  the 
country,  of  the  same  or  of  a  similar  character."  Mr.  D.  fur- 
ther remarks  that  in  removing  his  vine  he  lost  it,  and  therefore 
gratulates  himself  that  he  had  previously  presented  some  young 
vines  to  other  persons,  which  prevented  the  extinction  of  the 
variety. 

HENRICO. 

I  received  this  vine  from  Virginia,  where  it  was  found  grow- 
ing wild  in  the  county,  whose  name  it  bears.  It  is  represent- 
ed as  producing  berries  the  size  of  the  Bland,  and  clusters  of 
half  the  size  ;  the  colour  pale  blue  or  purplish,  taste  sweet  and 
agreeable. 

CUNNINGHAM. WOODSON. 

Two  varieties  of  native  vines  have  been  sent  the  past  year 
from  Prince  Edward  county,  Virginia,  under  the  above  titles, 
and  are  now  under  experimental  culture  in  the  garden  of  a 
gentleman  possessing  much  information  on  the  subject,  and 


192  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES, 

who  will  fully  test  their  merits — they  are  both  represented  to 
produce  fruit  as  large  as  the  Bland,  but  to  be  no  wise  like  it 
in  other  respects,  being  superior  in  productiveness  and  flavour, 
and  are  also  said  never  to  mildew  or  rot.  The  former  of  these 
varieties  has  been  formerly  designated  as  the  "  Prince  Ed- 
ward" grape  ;  but  two  varieties  having  been  found  in  that 
county,  the  person  who  sent  them  adopted  the  titles  which 
head  this  article,  by  way  of  distinguishing  them. 

MILLINGTON'S  WHITE. 

This  vine  was  discovered  in  Missouri  by  Dr.  Millington 
of  that  state.  It  was  found  north  of  the  Missouri  river — the 
fruit  is  of  good  size,  very  juicy,  and  rather  tart,  and  the  skin 
is  thin,  each  berry  generally  contains  three  seeds. 

SOLANDER'S  LARGE  PURPLE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  400. 

This  grape  is  highly  esteemed  in  Missouri,  whence  I  receiv- 
ed it.  Having  possessed  it  only  a  short  period,  I  have  not  yet 
seen  its  fruit ;  but  from  the  description  I  have  received,  I  pre- 
sume it  will  be  among  the  most  valuable  of  our  natives. 

SWATARA. 

I  have  received  from  my  respected  correspondent,  John 
Weidman,  Esq.  some  vines  of  a  variety,  distinguished  in  his 
vicinity  by  the  above  title.  He  considers  it  as  distinct  and 
worthy  of  attention.  From  the  same  gentleman,  I  have  also 
received  vines  of  a  red  fox  grape,  which  he  states  is  more 
sweet  than  the  common  blue  variety. 

HYDE'S  NATIVE  BLACK. 

This  vine  is  from  the  vicinity  of  Catskill,  and  was  brought 
into  notice  by  Wilkes  Hyde,  Esq.  on  whose  farm  it  was  found 
in  a  wild  state.  He  informs  me  that  its  fruit  is  black,  of  the 
usual  size  of  a  pistol  ball,  that  it  has  no  hard  pulp,  but  is 
rather,  astringent,  it  contains  a  great  deal  of  juice,  which  is  of 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  193 

a  dark  claret  colour,  and  which  he  thinks  would  yield  a  valua- 
ble wine.  The  vine  is  of  very  luxuriant  growth  and  a  great 
bearer. 

HYDE'S  ELIZA. 

This  variety  was  originated  from  seed  in  the  garden  of  the 
same  gentleman,  who  sent  me  the  preceding  one,  where  it  has 
borne  fruit  for  two  years  past.  'It  is  a  flourishing  vine,  the 
fruit  is  of  medium  size,  blue  when  ripe,  very  sweet  and  has  no 
hard  pulp,  it  is  at  maturity  the  last  of  August,  and  continues 
until  the  end  of  September.  Mr.  M.  states  that  he  considers 
it  a  preferable  fruit  to  the  foreign  Black  cluster ;  and  that  when 
the  berries  commence  turning  blue,  it  is  visible  only  in  small 
spots,  which  at  first  view  appear  like  the  commencement  of 
decay,  a  circumstance  he  has  not  noticed  in  any  other  grape. 
Mr.  H.  remarks,  that  he  calls  it  "  the  Eliza,  because  it  was 
reared  and  nurtured  by  a  beloved  daughter." 


SWEET  SCENTED.— PR.  CAT.  No.  389. 

•   f  .    .  '  ..«    '        . .  .'f-  * 

Male  sweet  scented.        Vitis  odoratissima,  Donn  Cat. — Nuttall  Mss. 
Vitis  riparia,  MICHAUX.— PURSH.— TORREY. 

This  is  a  dioecious  species,  and  I  have  never  yet  had  a  vine 
to  produce  fruit,  and  I  believe  others  have  been  equally  un- 
fortunate in  this  respect,  for  I  have  never  seen  a  fruit-bearing 
vine  in  any  collection.  The  fact  is,  that  nearly  or  quite  all 
the  old  vines  in  this  quarter  have  been  propagated  from  a  sin- 
gle original  vine,  and  they  are  all  therefore  of  one  sex.  I 
have  at  present,  however,  some  seedlings  of  one  year's  growth, 
which  I  consider  to  be  of  this  species,  and  which  doubtless 
comprise  both  sexes,  and  I  shall  ere  long  have  fruit  from  them. 
Michaux  says,  that  this  species  principally  abounds  on  the 
shores  and  islands  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  and  Pursh 
states,  that  fertile  plants  are  rarely  found  north  of  the  Potow- 
mac,  but  that  barren  ones  extend  far  south  of  it. 

25 


194 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


The  foliage  bears  considerable  affinity  to  that  of  Long** 
Arkansas,  the  leaves  are  unequally  toothed,  and  slightly  trilo- 
bate; the  flowers  are  very  sweet,  somewhat  resembling  in 
fragrance  the  Reseda  odorata. 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  and  indicative  of  the  general  prevalence 
of  male  plants,  that  neither  Michaux,  Pursh,  or  Torrey,  de- 
scribe the  fruit  of  this  species. 

Mr.  Nuttall  stated  to  me,  that  the  vines  growing  on  the 
Mississippi,  called  the  June  grape,  are  of  this  species,  which 
he  considers  the  true  Vitis  odoratissima,  and  that  the  true 
Vitis  riparia  is  a  distinct  species.  Muhlenberg  also  enu- 
merates them  as  distinct,  but  appears  to  consider  this  as  Vitis 
riparia,  and  annexes  to  Vitis  odoratissima,  the  name  of  Ber- 
mudian  grape. 

In  consequence  of  there  being  no  exhaustion  of  the  sap,  by 
production  of  fruit  in  the  male  variety  of  this  vine,  it  grows 
with  exceeding  rapidity,  and  spreads  out  its  numerous  branches 
in  every  direction,  soon  covering  a  very  large  space  so  densely, 
as  to  render  it  in  a  great  measure  impervious  to  the  sun's  rays, 
and  to  the  effects  of  storms.  It  is  therefore  very  commonly 
cultivated  in  this  vicinity,  as  a  covering  for  arbours  and  other 
places,  where  shelter  and  concealment  are  desired. 


WINTER  GRAPE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  396. 

Chicken  grape.  Vitis  serotina,  Bartram. 

Frost  grape.  Vitis  incisa,  Jacq. 

Small  frost  grape.  Vitis  vulpina,  Wild. — Torrey. 

Vitis  cordifolia. — MICHAUX. — PURSH. — NUTTALL. 

This  is  a  grape  so  well  known,  that  a  description  may  almost 
be  deemed  superfluous ;  the  berries  are  round,  of  very  small 
size,  and  loosely  set  on  the  bunches,  they  are  of  a  purple 
colour,  and  so  tart  and  astringent  as  to  be  unpleasant  for 
eating;  they  are,  however,  supposed  to  become  somewhat 
meliorated  by  the  operation  of  frost,  and  on  that  account  are 
more  sought  for  by  boys  and  others  after  they  have  been  sub- 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  195 

jected  to  its  effects.  The  leaves  are  abruptly  acuminate, 
bordered  with  irregular  acute  teeth,  and  are  smooth  on  both 
sides,  with  the  exception  of  a  slight  pubescence  on  the  veins 
beneath.  There  appear  to  be  two  varieties  differing  in  the 
shape  of  the  foliage,  one  of  them  having  the  leaves  much  more 
divided  or  palmated  than  the  other. 

It  is  the  latest  in  ripening  of  all  our  native  grapes,  and  the 
fruit  hangs  on  until  late  in  the  autumnal  months,  and  some- 
times till  Christmas.  The  vines  grow  vigorously,  often 
mounting  and  spreading  over  lofty  trees,  and  are  very  suitable 
for  forming  with  their  numerous  branches,  a  speedy  covering 
where  shelter  is  required,  the  foliage  of  the  variety  with  pal- 
mated  leaves  is  the  most  pleasing,  but  neither  of  the  varieties 
is  of  any  particular  value,  and  I  believe  they  have  not  yet  been 
cultivated  for  any  use  of  the  fruit,  which  is  alike  unsuitable  for 
the  table  or  for  wine,  but  might  be  used  for  vinegar  and  ver- 
juice. Pursh  mentions,  that  this  species  is  found  in  a  wild 
state  from  Canada  to  Florida,  which  opinion  I  presume  is  cor- 
rect. I  have  received  from  Virginia  a  vine  said  to  be  of  this 
species  and  to  produce  pleasant  fruit. 

GARBER'S  ALBINO. 

Vitis  labrusca,  v.  baccis  albidis,  magnis  ovalis. — PRINCE. 

This  new  and  peculiar  variety  I  received  from  my  much  res- 
pected and  very  intelligent  correspondent  J.  B.  Garber,  Esq. 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  gentleman  who  with  untiring  zeal  has 
sought  to  investigate  the  various  points  calculated  to  advance 
the  vine  culture,  and  to  bring  to  view  the  merits  of  the  respec- 
tive varieties.  The  original  vine  was  raised  by  him  from  a 
seed  of  the  native  variety  erroneously  called  at  York  the  Lisbon 
grape,  and  which  is  described  at  page  188.  It  is  the  only  one 
out  of  forty  or  fifty  plants  that  he  has  deemed  really  worth 
increasing.  The  vine,  in  its  general  aspect,  resembles  its 
parent,  as  also  does  its  fruit  in  size  and  form ;  the  berries  are 
about  as  large  as  those  of  the  Isabella,  egg-shaped,  and  of  a 
greenish  white  colour ;  they  contain  a  pulp  which  is  sweet  and 
are  a  very  agreeable  table  fruit ;  the  berries  hang  loosely  on 
the  bunches,  which  are  of  good  size. 


196  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

The  foregoing  description  was  received  from  Mr.  G.  who 
kindly  presented  me  with  rooted  vines  and  cuttings,  and  who 
very  justly  remarks,  that  as  it  much  resembles  the  York  Lisbon, 
Alexander,  &c.  in  its  growth,  and  yet  produces  white  fruit  of 
oval  form,  it  may  be  considered  an  anomaly  among  the  native 
varieties.  From  these  considerations,  and  the  circumstance 
that  an  oval  white  native  grape  has  long  been  a  desideratum, 
this  variety  is  peculiarly  interesting  and  merits  to  be  particu- 
larly distinguished  ;  I  have,  therefore,  (with  permission)  given 
it  the  title  of  "  Albino,"  to  which  is  annexed  the  cognomen  of 
the  distinguished  horticulturist  who  originated  it. 

CAREER'S  RED  FOX. 

Vitis  labrusca,  var. 

This  was  received  from  the  source  whence  I  obtained  the 
preceding  one,  and  Mr.  Garber  states  that  it  was  raised  from  the 
same  parcel  of  seed  (all  of  the  York  Lisbon)  at  the  same  time  and 
in  a  similar,  manner  ;  and  that  although  he  had  not  a  Red  fox 
grape  on  his  farm  at  that  period,  it  approximates  so  closely  to 
that  variety  as  to  be  evidently  one  of  that  class,  and  was  the 
only  one  among  the  whole  number  of  seedlings  that  bore  such 
affinity.  The  berries  are  round,  of  the  size  and  flavour  of 
the  common  red  fox,  but  Mr.  G.  thinks  them  something 
sweeter :  they  ripen  about  four  to  six  weeks  later,  and  their 
colour  where  exposed  is  a  pale,  greenish  red,  but  those  con- 
cealed from  the  sun  are  nearly  green. 

As  this  vine  was  reared  from  the  seed  of  a  dark  purple 
grape,  is  appears  probable  that  the  pollen  of  the  red  fox  vari- 
ety, borne  by  the  wind,  had  impregnated  the  particular  flower 
by  which  the  seed  of  this  vine  was  produced. 

HONEY  GRAPE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  384. 

The  original  vine  of  this  fine  native  variety  grows  about 
eight  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia,  and  was  only  brought 
into  particular  notice  within  the  last  three  or  four  years.  It  is 
only  with  great  difficulty  that  it  can  be  increased  by  cuttings, 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  197 

which  renders  it  still  scarce.  The  leaves  are  very  deeply  five- 
lobed,  with  irregular  indentures  on  their  borders,  and  the  un- 
der surface  is  covered  with  down.  The  fruit  is  as  sweet  as 
the  Meunier,  the  clusters  larger,  and  as  closely  set  with  ber- 
ries, and  it  is  deemed  one  of  the  best  native  grapes  of  our 
country. 

Such  is  the  description  which  I  have  received  from  a  cor- 
respondent who  is  distinguished  for  intelligence  and  accuracy, 
and  from  whom  I  received  this  vine. 

NORTH  CAROLINA  WHITE. 

A  grape  so  entitled  is  cultivated  in  some  collections,  said  to 
have  been  received  from  North  Carolina,  and  to  be  entirely 
different  from  the  White  Scuppernong.  I  have  not  seen  any 
one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  fruit,  but  the  person  who  origi- 
nally procured  it  from  Carolina  was  informed  that  the  berries 
were  white  and  of  good  flavour,  and  that  the  vine  was  a  great 
bearer  and  a  native.  Of  the  latter  point,  however,  I  have 
some  doubts,  and  having  only  recently  obtained  it,  have 
never  seen  its  foliage,  by  which  that  fact  can  be  readily  deter- 
mined. 

CAROLINA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  375. 

This  vine  was  sent  me  by  a  Virginian  friend,  who  received 
it  from  Carolina  as  a  distinct  wild  variety,  and  on  that  account 
he  gave  it  the  above  name.  It  has  since  proved  to  be  identi- 
cally the  same  as  the  Bland. 

KENRICK'S  NATIVE. 

Vitis  labrusca,  wr. 

I  give  this  title  to  a  vine  sent  me  by  Wm.  Kenrick,  Esq.  of 
Newton,  who  having  heard  of  an  indigenous  vine  producing 
white  oval  fruit,  has  taken  great  pains  to  obtain  it.  Its  qua- 
lities have  been  highly  rated  to  him,  but  I  omit  any  details  un- 
til experience  shall  have  more  fully  tested  that  point.  I  deem 
it  an  act  of  justice  here  to  remark  that  Mr.  K.  is  extremely  assi- 


198  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

duous  in  his  endeavours  to  discover  new  and  valuable  varieties 
of  fruits,  and  few  persons  evince  greater  discrimination  and 
judgment  than  are  shown  in  the  written  comments  I  have  re- 
ceived from  him  on  this  and  other  species  of  culture.  The 
nurseries  of  the  Messrs.  Kenrick  are  too  well  known  to  need 
particular  mention  here. 

ORWIGSBURGH.— PR.  CAT.  No.  394. 
Orwigsburg. 

Vitis  Orwigsburghi. 

The  highest  authority  for  information  relative  to  this  grape 
is  that  of  Dr.  W.  E.  Hulings,  who  named  it  and  brought  it 
into  notice.  That  gentleman,  at  first,  thought  it  decidedly 
an  indigenous  fruit ;  he  now  considers  it  only  an  American 
variety  of  a  foreign  grape  ;  and  in  this  latter  opinion  I  con- 
cur, on  account  of  the  appearance  of  the  foliage,  and  the 
general  growth  of  the  vine  ;  the  fruit  is  juicy  and  the  flavour 
excellent.  The  vine  is  productive  and  is  consequently  very 
worthy  of  cultivation ;  the  colour  is  white,  the  skin  thin,  ber- 
ries larger  than  the  Meunler,  and  quite  sweet. 

The  original  vine  which  was  brought  into  notice,  and  from 
which  the  vines  in  the  different  collections  have  been  propa- 
gated is  growing  in  Schuylkill  county,  about  three  miles  from 
Orwigsburgh,  Pa.  It  is  generally  considered  to  be  a  seedling, 
and  if  so,  it  comes  under  the  head  of  American  varieties  from 
seeds  of  exotic  vines.  It  is  nearly  allied  to  the  chasselas 
family,  and  is  probably  a  seedling  from  the  white  variety. 

The  vine,  although  hardy,  is  not  more  so  than  the  White 
Muscadine,  and  it  is  not  more  regular  in  ripening  its  wood,  if 
even  it  is  as  much  so.  It  is  quite  as  subject  to  the  mildew  as 
the  chasselas  vines  are,  and  requires  the  same  precautions  to 
prevent  its  effects.  The  fruit  ripens  in  September,  about  the 
same  time  as  the  White  Chasselas.  I  do  not  consider  that  it 
can  claim  any  advantages  over  the  White  Muscadine,  if  in- 
deed it  equals  that  in  valuable  properties. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  199 


VITIS  .ESTIVALIS.— PURSH.— MICHAUX.— TOEREY. 

Summer  grape.  Bunch  grape. 

Little  grape.  Blue  grape. 

Vitis  intermedia)  Muhl.       Vitis  sylvestris,  vel  occidentalism  Bartram. 

.        _v  'y'Cfj  TH/ff    •  i  •'  rA-i  !         i  j'li }••*«. 

The  leaves  of  this  vine  are  three  to  five  lobed,  dentate  on 
their  borders,  and  when  young  are  covered  beneath  with  a 
russet  down,  that  becomes  less  perceptible  on  the  old  leaves, 
which  are  nearly  smooth,  except  on  the  larger  veins ;  there  are 
several  varieties,  one  of  which  has  the  leaves  very  deeply  lobed> 
and  is  the  V.  sinuata  of  Pursh  and  others.  The  V.  laciniosa, 
Lin.,  and  V.  palmata,  Vahl.,  are  also  supposed  by  Torrey  to 
be  referrible  to  different  varieties  of  this  grape,  with  very  di- 
vided leaves.  In  some  of  our  forests  where  the  soils  are  rich, 
vines  of  this  species  ascend  to  the  tops  of  the  loftiest  trees, 
their  naked  shoots  extending  from  the  ground  to  the  upper- 
most branches  sometimes  60  and  80  feet  from  the  earth.  The 
flowers  expand  the  beginning  of  June,  the  berries  are  of  small 
size,  and  globose  form,  of  a  dark  blue  colour,  and  pleasant 
flavour,  they  are  rather  closely  set  on  oblong  bunches,  and 
attain  to  maturity  at  the  end  of  August  or  in  September — 
the  best  varieties  are  deemed  valuable  to  cultivate  for  wine, 
but  the  merits  of  the  greater  part  of  them  have  been  as  yet  but 
partially  tested.  Michaux,  and  Pursh  rank  this  species  as 
a  native  of  Virginia  and  Carolina,  but  it  is  frequently  met 
with  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  and  is  not  uncommon  in 
New-Jersey  and  in  this  state.  The  common  appellation  for 
it  among  the  inhabitants  is  Summer  grape,  and  by  them  it  is 
readily  distinguished  from  the  fox  grape  or  V.  Idbrusca,  by 
its  inferiority  in  size,  and  being  unattended  with  the  disagree- 
able fox-scent  which  that  generally  possesses.  I  have  been 
thus  particular  in  giving  the  leading  characteristics  of  this 
species,  as  many  of  the  varieties  of  grapes  which  I  have  enu- 
merated or  partially  described,  it  was  found  impossible  until 
further  investigation  in  regard  to  their  qualities,  to  refer  to  the 


200  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

particular  species  to  which  they  belong ;  the  most  part  of  those 
deficient  in  such  reference  belong  either  to  V.  Idbrusca,  or  V. 
testivalis,  and  I  should  suppose  that  those  found  north  of  the 
forty-first  degree,  belong  wholely  to  the  former  of  these  species, 
whose  native  locality  extends  as  far  north  as  Canada. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  a  large  proportion  of  our  native 
vines  are  males,  (or  have  abortive  germs,)  and  are  consequently 
sterile,  and  that  this  is  particularly  the  case  with  Vitis  (Bstwcdis. 
My  opinion  is,  that  this  remark  will  not  bear  a  general  appli- 
cation, and  will  only  hold  good  with  respect  to  three  or  at 
most  four  of  the  well  known  species,  and  two  of  these,  V. 
riparia  and  rotundifolia,  I  think  are  truly  dioecious. 

SUSQUEHANNA. 

Deininger's  grape. 

In  regard  to  this  vine  it  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  details, 
and  it  is  deemed  sufficient  to  state,  that  those  vended  by  the 
above  titles  and  which  were  much  lauded  at  the  time  as  a 
superior  native  variety,  have  proved  to  be  indentically  the 
French  Meunier  or  Miller  grape. 

WINNE.— PR.  CAT.  No.  403. 
Buck  grape.  Columbian. 

Vitis  Idbruscctj  var. 

This  is  a  native  variety  which  has  attracted  attention  within 
the  last  few  years.  It  obtained  the  name  I  have  adopted  from 
the  circumstance  of  the  first  vine  that  attracted  notoriety, 
having  been  found  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Winne  at  Albany. 

The  fruit  is  of  medium  size  and  of  the  darkest  purple 
colour ;  when  fully  ripe  it  is  generally  considered  equal  in 
sweetness  to  the  Alexander,  but  inferior  to  the  Isabella. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  it  will  prove  a  good  wine  grape.  In 
all  cases  to  test  the  real  merits  of  a  grape,  the  fruit  should  be 
left  on  until  fully  matured,  and  not  be  plucked  as  soon  as  it 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  201 

has  changed  colour,  it  is  from  the  latter  course  that  so  many 
of  our  native  grapes  are  undervalued  by  persons  who  do  not 
allow  them  time  to  attain  to  perfection.  The  Buck  grape  (so 
called)  growing  in  the  garden  of  B.  D.  Buck,  Esq.  of  Con- 
necticut, where  the  vine  has  been  for  about  ten  years  past,  is 
now  considered  synonymous  with  this,  and  the  history  of  that 
vine  is  stated  to  be  as  follows  :  It  was  obtained  by  Mr.  B.  from 
Albany,  of  a  person  who  brought  it  from  Pennsylvania,  this 
accounts  in  a  rational  manner  for  its  being  the  same  as  the 
grape  called  at  Albany,  the  Winne.  Mr.  B.  states  that  the 
fruit  of  his  vine  is  purple,  the  berries  close  set,  the  form  more 
round  than  oval,  pulp  about  the  same  as  the  Isabella,  cluster 
not  very  large,  and  that  it  never  sheds  its  fruit,  which  is  in  eating 
from  eight  to  ten  weeks,  ripens  in  September,  and  hangs  on 
the  vines  until  destroyed  by  the  frost.  It  is  a  great  and  con- 
stant bearer.  This  vine  has  been  judged  to  have  upon  it  at 
one  time  fifteen  bushels.  It  has  never  been  trimmed,  and  is 
now  in  a  very  flourishing  state.  From  a  consideration  of  the 
circumstances,  a  possibility  arises  that  this  vine  may  prove 
synonymous  with  some  one  ofvthe  varieties  cultivated  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  known  there  by  a  different  name;  and  indeed  it 
is  supposed  by  some  to  be  the  same  as  the  Alexander,  which 
is  so  widely  cultivated  in  that  state.  A  correspondent  at  Al- 
bany mentions,  that  tthe  berries  produced  by  his  vines  are  of 
a  round  form,  black  when  at  full  maturity,  and  possess  more 
pulp  than  the  Isabella. 

In  a  publication  with  regard  to  this  grape,  the  assertion  has 
been  made,  that  it  was  brought  from  Bourdeaux,  but  that  it 
is  called  a  native  of  Albany.  It  is  however  in  fact  a  genuine 
native,  and  bears  those  indelible  marks  of  indigenous  origin, 
which  cannot  be  mistaken  by  any  one  the  least  conversant 
with  the  subject. 


202  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

TROY  GRAPE. 

Purple  Hamburgh,  of  Troy,  N.  Y. 

A  vine  called  by  the  second  title  above  stated  is  much  cul- 
tivated in  the  gardens  of  Troy ;  but  as  it  is  a  genuine  native, 
and  the  common  appellation  is  so  very  incorrect  and  calculated 
to  create  much  confusion,  I  have  adopted  a  different  one  and 
called  it  the  Troy  grape.  I  am  not  certain,  however,  but  ex- 
perience may  prove  it  to  be  synonymous  with  some  other  na- 
tive variety.  I  made  the  following  description  from  actual 
observation  the  past  year,  and  think  it  a  valuable  native 
grape. 

The  leaves  are  smooth  above  and  downy  beneath,  partially 
three-lobed,  with  slight  indentures,  the  teeth  terminating  in 
small  points ;  the  fruit  is  of  very  good  quality,  and  the  flavour 
pleasant,  with  a  little  of  the  fox  taste ;  the  form  somewhat 
oval,  and  the  size  about  that  of  the  Isabella,  to  which  it  bears 
considerable  affinity.  It  is  a  very  hardy,  vigorous  vine,  pro- 
duces large  crops,  and  the  fruit  is  held  in  much  estimation. 

.  ^  '  i      ••'  , 

NAZRO  GRAPE. 

This  vine  was  originated  from  seed  by  Henry  Nazro,  Esq. 
of  this  state,  a  gentleman  much  devoted  to  the  culture  of  the 
grape,  the  parent  vine  is  the  Troy  grape  which  I  have  just 
described. 

The  seed  which  produced  the  Nazro  grape  was  planted  in 
the  fall  of  1825,  and  the  vine  has  borne  fruit  the  two  seasons 
of  1828  and  1829.  The  berries  hitherto  produced,  have  been 
of  medium  size,  and  only  about  half  as  large  as  those  of  the 
parent  vine,  they  are  of  oval  form,  sweet  and  of  very  pleasant 
flavour,  possessing  less  of  the  fox  taste,  and  seem  in  these 
respects  to  be  quite  an  improvement  on  the  original-  Those 
I  have  eaten  (and  which  were  politely  sent  me  by  Mr.  N.)  had 
in  no  case  more  than  one  seed,  and  one  berry  had  none. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  203 

They  ripen  at  Troy  the  latter  part  of  August.  The  circum- 
stance of  the  diminution  of  seeds  in  this  seedling  is  worthy  of 
particular  note,  as  most  authors  attribute  such  diminution  to 
a  long  course  of  culture  and  a  continued  increase  from  cut- 
tings ;  but  here  is  a  seminal  variety,  in  its  youth  and  full 
vigour  possessing  a  characteristic  generally  supposed  to  de- 
rive its  existence  from  age  and  exhaustion.  Where  now  rests 
the  basis  of  their  arguments? 

Mr.  N.  remarks,  that  although  the  fruit  hitherto  produced 
has  been  rather  small,  still  it  is  probable  that  its  size  may  be 
increased  as  the  plant  advances  in  age.  The  vine  was  sent  to 
me  without  a  name,  but  I  have  thought  it  correct  and  just  to 
call  it  after  the  person  to  whom  it  owes  its  origin. 


BEAVERDAM. 

This  variety  originated  in  Virginia,  and  derives  its  title  from 
its  native  locality.  It  was  sent  to  rne  with  several  other  va- 
rieties by  my  highly  respected  friend  and  correspondent  Tho- 
mas S.  Pleasants,  Esq.  of  that  state,  who  may  be  justly  ranked 
among  the  most  ardent  friends  of  the  vine  culture.  The  fruit 
is  dark  purple,  the  berries  scarcely  a  size  smaller  than  those  of 
the  Bland,  with  a  thin  skin,  and  from  one  to  two  seeds  in 
each ;  they  are  sweet,  juicy,  and  slightly  pulpous,  and  are 
devoid  of  that  musky  flavour  belonging  to  the  Isabella  and 
Alexander,  to  which  some  object.  The  bunches  are  large  and 
winged,  the  berries  of  beautiful  appearance  and  not  closely  set. 

Mr.  P.  considers  it  the  finest  native  grape  that  has  come 
under  his  notice,  and  states,  that  the  original  vine  is  such  a 
well  known  favourite,  that  it  is  invariably  robbed  before  the 
fruit  comes  to  maturity,  and  that  he  has  but  once  been  able 
to  obtain  any  in  a  perfectly  ripe  state.  It  is  represented  also 
by  the  people  in  its  vicinity,  to  be  superior  to  any  of  the  wild 
grapes  they  have  ever  tasted,  and  in  fact  equal  to  most  of  those 
that  are  cultivated,  and  the  owner  of  the  original  vine  regards 
it  as  a  treasure.  It  is  of  course  not  equal  to  the  Chasselas, 


204  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

and  Frontignac  grapes ;  but  as  an  American  native  variety, 
I  have  no  doubt  it  will  on  cultivation  be  deemed  a  most  valua- 
ble grape,  and  the  probability  is,  that  it  will  make  good  wine. 
The  original  vine  grows  on  a  barren  old  field,  surrounded  by 
three  trees,  the  effect  of  which  must  be  to  starve  the  plant  and 
fruit.  Its  natural  position  therefore  is  not  an  advantageous 
one.  If  such  be  its  character  in  a  locality,  where  it  is  evident- 
ly stinted  in  its  aliment,  surely  its  merits  may  be  enhanced  by 
transplanting  it  to  a  better  situation.  The  fruit  on  the  original 
vine  ripens  about  the  middle  of  September,  but  cultivation 
might  probably  hasten  its  developement  and  maturity. 

A  letter  very  recently  received  from  Mr.  P.  contains  the 
following  additional  remarks,  which  are  highly  interesting : 

"  In  the  perusal  of  a  proof  sheet  of  your  Treatise  just  re- 
ceived, I  was  forcibly  struck  with  an  observation  you  make 
in  your  description  of  the  Bland  grape,  where  to  prove  its 
native  origin,  you  state  that  identically  the  same  grape  has 
been  received  from  Carolina  under  the  name  of  Red  Scupper- 
nong,  and  that  several  native  vines  received  from  different 
parts  of  our  country  greatly  resemble  it  in  foliage,  wood,  and 
manner  of  growth,  &c.  Now  the  "  foliage,  wood,  and  man- 
ner of  growth"  of  the  Beaverdam  grape  are  precisely  like  the 
Bland,  only  that  I  cannot  speak  certainly  of  the  appearance 
in  putting  out  in  the  spring,  not  having  had  my  attention 
drawn  to  their  great  similarity  soon  enough  to  determine  the 
resemblance  in  that  point.  I  did  not  heretofore  have  full  faith 
that  the  Bland  grape  was  a  native  ;  but  I  am  now  fully  satisfied, 
and  I  entertain  little  doubt  but  that  the  Beaverdam  is  a  variety 
of  the  same  family.  There  is  another  strong  point  of  resem- 
blance ;  the  bunches  of  the  Beaverdam  are,  it  is  true,  larger 
and  longer,  but  in  other  respects  they  are  exceedingly  alike ; 
the  berries  on  the  Bland  are,  we  know,  generally  scattering, 
not  from  any  deficiency  of  bloom,  but  from  an  inaptitude  per- 
haps to  set  themselves,  so  that  the  result  is,  there  are  many 
stems  on  the  bunches  without  fruit.  This  peculiarity  appears 
also  to  apply  to  the  Beaverdam.  I  should  therefore  think  it 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  205 

highly  probable  they  are  of  the  same  class,  and  I  have  merely 
made  these  remarks  to  corroborate  your  views  showing  that 
the  Bland  is  a  native." 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  exceedingly  fine  variety  of  the 
Bland  family,  the  author  has  to  state  that  a  strong  probability 
exists  of  the  discovery  of  a  fine  white  variety  of  the  same  class. 

MARYLAND  PURPLE. 

This  variety  I  received  from  the  same  source  whence  I  ob- 
tained the  preceding  one.  It  is  a  native  of  Maryland,  where 
it  was  found  growing  in  the  woods  ;  the  berries  are  stated  to 
be  of  tolerable  size,  of  a  purple  colour,  and  remarkably  sweet 
and  juicy,  and  attain  to  maturity  in  October.  It  was  not 
brought  into  garden  culture  until  the  past  year,  but  had  at- 
tracted particular  attention  where  growing  in  a  wild  state. — 
I  had  proposed  to  give  to  this  the  appellation  of  Pleasant' s  grape 
after  the  worthy  contributor  ;  but  as  he  states  that  the  partial 
opportunities  as  yet  afforded  for  examination  have  not  been 
sufficient  to  speak  decisively  of  its  merits,  I  decline  such  course 
in  this  case,  but  with  the  determination  to  adopt  that  title  for 
one  of  the  finest  unnamed  varieties  in  my  possession,  as  soon 
as  I  can  make  the  selection  of  one  worthy  of  it. 

LOUISIANA.— PR.  CAT.  No.  387. 

This  title  has  been  adopted  for  a  vine  received  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  state  whose  name  it  bears.  It  has  not  yet  pro- 
duced fruit  here,  and  details  on  that  head  cannot  therefore  be 
given  at  present. 

GRISWOLD'S  SEEDLING. 

This  vine  was  reared  from  the  seed  of  a  foreign  variety  by 
John  Griswold,  Esq.  of  Columbia  county,  in  this  state;  the 
berries  are  blue,  and  the  vine  produces  abundantly. 


20G  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES, 


SCOTT'S  GRAPE. 

This  fine  variety  was  presented  to  me  by  George  W.  Jef- 
freys, Esq.  of  North  Carolina,  at  the  particular  request  of  the 
discoverer,  Gen.  John  Scott  of  the  same  state.  In  a  letter  re- 
ceived from  the  latter,  he  remarks — "  The  original  vine  grows 
in  the  woods,  on  the  bank  of  a  small  stream ;  it  is  old  and 
large,  and  runs  to  such  a  height  upon  a  tree,  that  none  of  its 
branches  can  be  lowered  so  as  to  form  layers  for  planting. 
No  other  vine  of  the  same  variety  has  yet  been  discovered. 
Its  fruit  ripens  about  the  first  of  October,  the  berries  are  round 
and  about  the  middle  size,  skin  thin,  flesh  juicy  and  delicate, 
and  the  flavour  very  fine.  It  belongs  to  the  class  of  white 
grapes,  is  of  an  amber  colour  when  ripe,  and  when  used  for 
tarts  does  not  colour  the  pastry.  As  yet  I  have  not  been  able 
to  succeed  with  the  cuttings,  and  apprehend  that  like  our  far- 
famed  Scuppernong,  and  many  others  of  our  native  varieties, 
it  cannot  readily  be  propagated  in  that  way."  I  have  reared 
about  twenty  fine  seedlings  from  the  above  named  vine,  which 
have  grown  vigorously,  and  being  now  in  the  second  year's 
growth,  will  no  doubt  produce  fruit  the  ensuing  season. 

BAILIE  GRAPE. 

This  title  I  have  adopted  for  a  fine  native  variety,  received 
from  Samuel  Bailie,  Esq.  of  Virginia,  a  friend  and  correspond- 
ent, to  whose  philanthropy  and  liberal  sentiments  I  cannot 
render  justice  in  any  common  terms.  The  present  is  one  of 
thirteen  varieties  he  has  transmitted  to  me,  all  of  which  were 
collected  in  their  natural  localities,  and  whose  relative  merits 
will  form  an  object  of  future  investigation. 

Mr.  B.  describes  the  fruit  to  which  I  have  given  his  cog- 
nomen to  be  of  medium  size,  of  a  red  colour,  and  free  from 
pulp,  and  considers  that  it  will  be  a  fine  grape  when  brought 
into  regular  culture,  to  which  it  has  never  been  submitted 
until  the  present  year. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  207 

CLARKE'S  GRAPE. 

This  variety  was  also  received  from  Virginia,  and  is  called 
after  the  proprietor  of  the  plantation  on  which  it  was  discov- 
ered. The  original  vine  is  very  large  and  old,  and  extremely 
productive,  the  bunches  and  berries  are  of  good  size,  the  grapes 
ripen  well,  and  are  in  perfection  in  August,  and  hang  a  long 
time  on  the  vine.  They  .are  exceedingly  sound  and  firm, 
sweet  and  well  tasted,  and  the  person  who  owns  the  vine, 
states  that  his  mother  used  to  have  the  grapes  gathered  in  the 
fall  and  put  up  in  a  barrel,  (a  layer  of  straw  and  a  layer  of 
fruit,)  and  that  they  were  preserved  in  this  manner  during  the 
winter  as  plump  and  sound  as  when  first  packed  away. 

SMALLWOOD. 

This  fine  native  vine  I  received  from  E.  Smallwood,  Esq. 
of  North  Carolina,  who  exercises  much  discrimination  in  re- 
gard to  the  qualities  of  valuable  fruits.  He  esteems  it  the 
most  desirable  variety  for  making  wine,  although  he  has  also 
the  White  and  Black  Scuppernong.  The  fruit  he  remarks 
is  about  half  the  size  of  the  Muscatel  grape. 

POND'S  SEEDLING. 

This  is  a  variety  raised  from  a  seed  of  the  Black  fox  grape, 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Pond,  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  P.  states  in  a 
letter  to  me,  that  the  bunches  are  long  and  of  good  size,  the 
berries  round,  purple,  and  juicy,  with  a  thin  skin.  He  con- 
siders it  one  of  the  best  native  varieties,  and  states,  that  its 
growth  is  remarkably  vigorous,  with  proportionably  short 
joints.  One  shoot  of  the  past  season  measured  twenty-seven 
feet,  and  on  another  of  the  same  age  he  counted  fifty-seven 
joints. 

GALE  GRAPE. 

This  vine  I  received  from  Samuel  Downer,  Esq.  of  Boston, 
who  obtained  it  from  Troy,  in  this  state,  and  informs  me  that 


208  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

it  was  raised  from  a  seed  of  a  Smyrna  raisin,  by  Miss  Gale  of 
the  latter  city.  Mr.  D.  who  has  seen  the  fruit,  represents  the 
vine  to  be  very  vigorous  and  prolific,  the  clusters  of  uniform 
appearance,  handsomely  shaped  without  shoulders,  and  round- 
ed at  the  top  and  base  ;  the  berries  not  quite  as  large  as  those 
of  the  Meunier  or  Miller  grape,  but  of  beautiful  appearance, 
devoid  of  pulp,  replete  with  pleasant  juice,  and  set  with  great 
compactness  on  the  bunches.  Having  myself  examined  the 
foliage  particularly,  I  find  it  to  bear  so  strong  a  similarity 
to  the  Meunier,  that  it  is  evidently  of  that  family  :  the  fruit  I 
have  not  seen,  but  Miss  Gale  informs  me  that  it  very  much 
resembles  the  Black  cluster. 


NASHUA. 

A  correspondent  in  Pennsylvania  writes  me,  that  he  has  two 
varieties  of  grapes  received  from  the  state  of  Maine,  which  are 
reported  to  be  very  fine,  one  of  which  is  called  by  the  above 
title ;  neither  has  yet  fruited  with  him,  and  he  is  unable  to 
give  descriptions  of  them  at  this  time.  I  make  them  here  a 
subject  of  record  to  elicit  future  investigation. 

WINDSOR. 

This  vine  I  received  from  our  highly  intelligent  and  spirited 
fellow  citizen,  John  C.  S.  Monkur,  Esq.  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary of  the  Maryland  Society  for  the  promotion  of  the  vine 
culture.  He  states  that  it  was  found  growing  wild  twelve 
miles  north  of  Baltimore,  at  Windsor,  the  plantation  of  George 
Fitzhugh,  Esq.  It  is  very  luxuriant,  a  great  bearer,  and  has 
every  appearance  of  our  common  chicken  grape,  but  very 
far  exceeds  it  in  the  deliciousness  of  its  fruit.  The  clusters 
are  large  and  long,  the  berries  round,  of  a  blue  colour,  in  size 
larger  than  the  ordinary  wild  grape,  and  replete  with  a  grate- 
ful juice,  resembling  in  taste  the  Meunier  or  Fromente.  It 
ripens  there  the  last  week  in  August,  and  makes  an  excellent 
wine. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  209 

OWENS'  WHITE. 

For  this  variety  I  am  indebted  to  William  Owens,  Esq.  of 
Virginia,  who  has  favoured  me  with  the  following  remarks  in 
regard  to  it :  the  berries  are  very  large,  weighing  from  one 
hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  thirty  grains  each. 
It  is  a  variety  of  the  Fox,  and  possesses  a  pleasant  degree  of 
the  muskiness  common  to  that  class  of  grape.  Mr.  Owens 
states,  that  he  has  discovered  a  number  of  interesting  wild 
varieties  differing  in  size,  flavour,  and  colour,  some  inclining 
to  green,  others  of  a  yellowish  white,  and  one  of  a  purple 
colour  which  is  of  good  flavour  and  of  very  unusual  size,  the 
berries  weighing  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  grains  each. 

Another  is  an  extremely  rich  black  grape,  flattened  at  the 
ends,  and  about  one  inch  through  its  longest  diameter,  the 
skin  thin,  pulp  a  very  deep  rich  purple,  which  upon  the  re- 
moval of  the  skin  displays  the  granulated  sparkling  appear- 
ance that  some  water-melons  exhibit  when  cut.  Another  is 
a  large  red  grape,  skin  very  thin,  and  when  separated  from 
the  fruit,  of  a  beautiful  clear  red,  pulp  solid,  but  sweet  and 
musky.  Another  called  white,  but  with  some  berries  approach- 
ing a  light  amber,  owing  perhaps  to  greater  maturity.  Ano- 
ther, which  is  a  variety  of  the  summer  grape,  has  bunches  large 
and  open,  the  berries  of  a  small  size,  with  a  black  polished 
surface,  they  are  of  exquisite  flavour,  and  accompanied  with  a 
perfume  that  always  reminds  one  of  the  pleasant  odour  exhaled 
by  the  woods  in  the  spring  when  the  flowers  are  in  bloom.  Mr. 
O.  made  in  the  summer  of  1829,  about  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
gallons  of  wine  from  native  grapes,  and  computes  the  number 
of  wild  varieties  of  the  fox-grape  that  he  has  discovered  to 
exceed  twenty,  and  of  the  summer  or  fall  grape  to  exceed  thirty, 
many  of  the  latter  differing  very  widely  in  flavour  and  com- 
plexion, and  those  of  a  purple  or  black  colour  in  some  instances 
covered  with  a  blue  mist  or  bloom,  the  largest  measuring 
about  half  an  inch  in  diameter.  He  has  also  met  with  several 
varieties  of  the  winter  or  frost  grape,  and  deems  that  some  of 

27 


210 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


the  varieties  he  has  discovered  may  without  doubt  be  hybrids 
between  the  respective  species. 

WILLIS'  FREDONIA. 

Jersey  grape.  Guernsey  grape. 

For  this  vine  I  am  indebted  to  John  Willis,  Esq.  of  Mary- 
land, so  well  known  as  a  most  skilful  and  intelligent  amateur 
of  horticulture,  and  to  the  title  adopted  I  have  attached  his 
cognomen.  A  very  particular  description  of  the  famous  vine 
in  Mr.  W.'s  garden  was  published  in  the  American  Farmer 
the  past  year.  He  states  to  me  that  it  is  now  of  six  years 
growth,  and  spreads  its  branches  to  the  extent  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet,  the  diameter  of  the  main  stem  being  only 
eight  inches  and  three-eighths,  and  that  he  calculates  the  pro- 
duce the  present  season  will  be  more  than  ten  thousand  bunches. 
The  vine  is  not  troubled  with  insects,  the  fruit  is  black  and 
pleasant  for  the  table.  Mr.  W.  has  not  been  able  satisfactorily 
to  trace  this  variety  to  its  original  locality. 

WILLIS'  LARGE  BLACK. 

Great  Hack  muscadine. 

I  received  this  variety  from  the  same  source  as  the  preceding 
one.  Mr.  W.  remarks,  that  its  fruit  is  particularly  valuable  for 
preserving,  that  when  used  for  such  purpose  it  loses  the  musky 
or  fox  flavour,  and  becomes  delicious.  The  berries  he  states, 
are  very  large,  often  measuring  three  inches  and  one-fourth  or 
more  in  circumference.  The  vine  was  brought  originally  from 
Roanoke,  and  represented  to  be  of  exceedingly  vigorous 
growth.  The  third  year  sixteen  shoots  were  allowed  to  grow, 
and  when  measured  in  autumn  from  motives  of  curiosity,  the 
vine  was  found  to  have  run  in  one  season  one  hundred  and  ten 
yards.  According  to  a  traditional  account  of  the  southern 
Indians,  this  vine  and  the  White  Scuppernong  have  been  in 
bearing  among  them  for  more  than  five  hundred  years  ;  but 
notwithstanding  this,  some  of  the  white  inhabitants  attempt 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  21 1 

to  trace  the  introduction  of  these  natural  products  of  the  soil 
to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  and  Sir  Richard  Willis. 


PERFUME  GRAPE. 

A  native  vine  of  North  Carolina,  which  received  the  above 
title  from  the  late  General  Jones  of  that  state,  is  thus  described 
in  the  American  Farmer,  by  A.  J.  Davie,  Esq.  "  The  vine 
grows  on  a  small  island  of  the  Roanoke,  a  few  miles  above  the 
Great  Falls.  It  is  surely  the  only  vine  of  the  kind  in  the 
state,  perhaps  in  the  world,  as  I  have  had  all  the  islands  care- 
fully examined,  and  another  cannot  be  found.  Its  colour  is 
purple,  about  one  third  larger  than  the  common  grape  of 
the  woods,  slightly  elongated,  a  difference  in  shape  which 
distinguishes  it  from  all  others  [?  auth.]  ;  in  its  flavour  it  is  un- 
rivalled, and  when  eaten  diffuses  a  most  grateful  perfume.  I 
prefer  it  to  the  Scuppernong.  How  it  may  succeed  for  wine, 
no  one  can  say,  but  for  the  table  it  equals  the  best  French 
grapes.  Its  fine  flavour  and  rarity  have  determined  me  to 
propagate  it  both  by  seed  and  cuttings,  and  to  offer  them  to 
those  who  wish  to  cultivate  the  finest  vine  of  this  and  I  believe 
of  any  country."  [?  auth.] 

WEBB'S  GRAPE. 

This  was  discovered  by  Samuel  Webb,  Esq.  of  Philadel- 
phia, near  the  town  of  Woodbury,  about  ten  miles  north  of 
Philadelphia.  The  berries  are  large,  being  as  he  states,  about 
three  inches  in  circumference,  and  their  colour  black  when 
fully  ripe. 

PALE  RED  VIRGINIAN. 

This  is  represented  to  me  to  be  a  very  sweet  and  fine  grape, 
with  little  or  none  of  the  musky  taste,  the  original  vine  grows 
on  the  borders  of  a  rivulet  in  Goochland  county,  Virginia. 


212  NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


EARLY  BLACK  SUMMER  GRAPE. 

This  is  also  a  variety  from  Virginia,  which  state  seems 
particularly  prolific  in  natural  varieties  of  the  vine.  The 
fruit  ripens  early,  and  is  of  good  size.  The  esteemed  friend 
who  presented  it  to  me  remarks,  that  the  parent  vine  is  very 
beautiful,  shooting  out  its  long  branches,  which  in  the  grape 
season  present  quite  a  striking  appearance.  He  further  com- 
ments on  the  difference  which  obtains  in  that  section  of  our 
country,  between  the  summer  or  bunch  (V.  (EStivalis,)  and  the 
fox  grape  (V.  vulpina.)  The  former  is  in  general  much 
milder  in  its  flavour,  and  considered  by  many  persons  as  very 
pleasant  fruit.  The  fox  always  has  a  rank  or  musky  flavour 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree. 

He  further  remarks  on  the  propensity  of  the  former  to  mount 
to  a  great  height,  and  of  the  latter  to  seek  a  more  humble  sup- 
port, as  has  been  already  stated  in  the  previous  pages  of  this 
volume. 

PROLIFIC  CHICKEN  GRAPE. 

This  variety  is  from  Goochland  county,  Va.  The  fruit  is 
quite  pleasant,  and  much  superior  to  that  produced  by  the 
generality  of  vines  of  the  same  species,  and  ripens  in  the 
month  of  August.  The  vine  is  a  great  bearer,  whence  it 
derives  its  title. 

KELLOGG  GRAPE. 

This  title  I  have  applied  to  a  fine  variety  found  wild  at 
New-Canaan,  Fairfield  county,  Connecticut,  and  introduced 
by  J.  W.  Kellogg,  Esq.  of  this  island.  That  gentleman  has 
informed  me  that  the  fruit  is  of  larger  size  than  the  Isabella,  of 
purple  colour,  and  oblate  form.  It  is  quite  sweet  and  fra- 
grant, with  somewhat  of  the  fox  flavour,  and  contains  a  pulp. 
The  vine  grows  with  surprising  vigour. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  213 

ADDITIONAL  INDIGENOUS  VINES. 

I  have  also  received  from  different  quarters,  vines  of  a  num- 
ber of  varieties  said  to  be  native,  but  of  whose  merits  and 
qualities,  sufficient  information  is  not  possessed  at  present  to 
give  more  than  a  list  of  their  names.  Among  these  are  the 
following: — Penniman's,  Thompson's,  Large  Blue,  Large 
Fox  of  different  varieties,  Early  white  of  two  varieties,  Sloe 
and  native  Muscadine  of  several  varieties,  &c.  These  have 
all  been  planted  as  specimen  vines  in  my  experimental  vine- 
yard. 

VARIETIES  FROM  SEED. 

In  the  summer  of  1828,  I  published  a  circular  soliciting 
from  persons  residing  in  the  various  sections  of  our  country, 
the  seeds  of  such  native  varieties  of  the  vine  as  were  found  in 
their  respective  vicinities.  I  received  from  all  quarters  of  the 
Union,  considerable  parcels  of  seeds,  in  some  cases  with  short 
descriptions,  and  in  others  without  any.  These  were  mostly, 
in  accordance  with  my  requests  transmitted  by  mail,  an  ex- 
pense I  have  cheerfully  submitted  to  as  well  in  regard  to  these, 
as  to  seeds  of  other  interesting  native  productions.  From  the 
various  sources  referred  to,  I  have  reared  a  numerous  progeny 
of  vines,  of  the  most  interesting  of  which  I  here  annex  a  list, 
designating  at  the  same  time  the  State  from  which  they  were 
received,  together  with  the  titles  and  descriptions  which  were 
attached  to  them  by  the  contributors. 

FROM  MISSOURI. 

Fall  grape,  No.  1 — being  the  largest  and  finest  of  its  kind. 

Do.         No.  2 — secondary  in  regard  to  the  size  of  the  fruit. 

Do.         No.  3 — smallest  fruit. 
Black  winter  grape.  White  grape. 

From  a  different  source. 
Black  wild  summer  grape,  ripe  in  October. 
Do.     winter     do.     ripe  in  November. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 

From  another  source. 

Lowland  grape,  grows  naturally  in  low  ground  and  has 
very  peculiar  foliage. 

The  first  three  of  the  eight  preceding  varieties  from  Mis- 
souri, are  very  productive,  and  Dr.  Millington  has  made 
eight  barrels  of  wine  from  vines  of  those  varieties  in  a  single 
season. 

FROM  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

River  swamp  grape.  Do.  very  acid. 

Sand  hill  grape,  much  larger  than  the  preceding  sort,  and 
not  so  sour. 

Do.  a  different  variety.  Bullace  grape. 

Garden  grape.  •  )  ^ 

Do.  larg!  dark  purple.  jtw°    natlve    vanetles   mtr°- 
duced  to  garden  culture  on  account  of  their  quality. 

FROM  VIRGINIA. 

Monstrous  fox  grape.  Large  sloe  do. 

Maryland  purple  do.  Beaverdam  do. 

FROM  TENNESSEE. 

Winter  grape.  Coon  grape. 

Purple  native  grape.  Blue  do. 

White  do. 

FROM  OHIO. 

Hill  grape  of  the  Scioto. 

FROM  ILLINOIS. 

Prolific  grape,  from  the  border  of  the  prairies,  two  varieties. 

In  addition  to  the  plants  reared  from  seeds  of  the  various 
preceding  varieties,  I  have  since  taken  great  pains  to  procure 
scions  from  the  original  vines,  so  as  to  perpetuate  the  identical 
kinds  that  had  attracted  attention  in  their  natural  state,  and  I 
have  succeeded  in  transferring  nearly  the  whole  of  these  scat- 
tered productions  of  our  country  to  my  experimental  grounds, 
where  they  will  without  doubt,  thrive  and  flourish,  living  me- 
mentos of  the  horticultural  riches  of  our  country. 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES.  215 

I  have  also  reared  a  great  variety  of  seedlings  from  the  cul- 
tivated kinds,  both  native  and  exotic ;  these  have  not  yet  fruited, 
but  when  of  sufficient  age  may  be  expected  to  produce  a  great 
diversity.  Among  them  are  a  number  from  the  Isabella,  a  part 
of  which  are  from  seeds  impregnated  by  the  Bland  and  the 
Meunier  ;  others  from  the  Alexander,  Bland,  Meunier,  White 
Rochelle,  White  and  Red  Malaga,  White  and  Black  Scupper- 
nong,  Nazro,  Scott's,  Troy  vine,  and  from  Gimb rede's  Fox 
grapes  of  the  sorts  exhibited  to  the  Horticultural  Society. 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 

I  have  now  completed  the  descriptive  list  of  American  vines, 
as  far  as  could  be  done  consistently  with  the  present  state  of 
knowledge  on  the  subject,  and  the  precision  and  accuracy 
required.  In  doing  this,  no  vine  has  been  knowingly  de- 
scribed under  different  heads  or  distinct  titles ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary, all  the  claims  to  a  separate  origin  and  to  peculiarity 
of  character,  have  been  examined  doubtingly,  from  a  desire  to 
curtail  the  nomenclature,  and  to  restrain  it  within  correct 
bounds.  It  is  however  very  possible,  and  even  probable,  that 
future  examinations  of  those  kinds  but  recently  received  from 
such  numerous  sources  in  the  wide  spread  regions  of  our  land, 
and  which  have  in  most  instances  never  been  submitted  to  a 
comparison  with  each  other,  may  by  a  critical  investigation  of 
the  particular  properties  of  each,  prove  many  which  are  now 
deemed  distinct  varieties,  to  be  so  similar  as  to  ideutify  them 
with  each  other,  and  consequently  to  render  it  necessary  and 
proper  to  unite  them  under  the  same  heads. 

With  regard  to  the  synonymse,  the  greatest  perspicuity  has 
been  exercised,  and  that  part  has  been  rendered  as  perfect  as 
the  circumstances  would  admit ;  and  although,  future  experience 
may  considerably  modify  that  portion  of  the  nomenclature, 
the  arrangement  so  far  as  at  present  perfected,  will  I  think 
add  greatly  to  the  diffusion  of  a  correct  knowledge  of  the  re- 
spective varieties,  and  to  the  identity  of  such  as  have  been 
hitherto  considered  distinct  from  each  other. 


216  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES, 


American  species  of  the  Vine. 

In  order  to  concentrate  whatever  light  can  be  thrown  on 
the  subject  matter  of  the  present  work,  I  have  extracted  the 
following  dissertation  from  the  Medical  Repository  ;  Hexade 
2.  vol.  I. 

Account  of  the  Species,  Hybrids,  and  other  varieties  of  the  Vine  of 
North  America,  by  William  Bartram,  Esq.  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  most  obvious  characters  which  distinguish  the  grape- 
vines of  America  from  those  of  the  old  continent,  are,  1.  The 
berries  of  all  the  American  species  and  varieties  that  I  have 
seen,  approach  the  figure  of  an  oblate  spheroid ;  that  is,  the 
poles  are  flattened,  and  the  transverse  diameter  is  longer  than 
the  polar :  however,  I  have  observed  that  Alexander's  grape, 
and  some  of  the  bullet  grapes,  approach  nearer  to  an  oval  or 
ellipsis,  which  is  the  figure  of  all  foreign  or  European  grapes 
that  I  have  seen :  viz.  a  prolate  spheroid.  2.  Most  of  the 
American  species  and  varieties  have  a  glaucous  and  yellowish 
pubescence  on  the  under  surface  of  their  leaves.  3.  All  that 
I  have  observed  in  the  northern  and  eastern  districts  of  the 
United  States  are  polygamous  ;  i.  e.  those  vines  which  bear 
fruit  (female)  have  hermaphrodite  flowers  (pentandria  mono- 
gynia)  ;  but  the  males  have  only  five  stamina,  without  any 
female  organ,  and  are  always  barren.  One  would  suppose, 
from  Walter  so  strongly  marking  this  character  as  to  induce 
him  to  place  Vitis  in  the  class  Dicecia,  when  Linnaeus  and 
the  other  European  botanists  have  placed  it  in  Pentandria, 
(he  himself  being  an  European,)  that  all  the  grape-vines  of 
the  old  continent  are  hermaphroditous  and  pentandrian.  I 
know  not,  from  my  own  observation,  whether  the  Bull-grape 
of  Carolina  is  hermaphroditous  or  dioecious,  and  therefore 
rest  satisfied  with  Walter's  assertion. 

With  regard  to  the  vine  of  America,  I  find  a  great  difficulty 
in  discriminating  the  species  from  varieties  of  hybrids,  which, 
perhaps,  may  be  partly  accounted  for  from  some  of  our  vines 
being  dioecious,  and  there  being  a  greater  number  of  male 


NOMENCLATURE  OF  GRAPES. 


217 


vines  than  of  fruit-bearing  ones,  whose  farina  fecundans, 
mixing  with  the  air  and  winds,  is  carried  to  a  great  distance  to 
the  female  organs  of  hermaphrodite  flowers.  I  shall  now  give 
my  opinion  of  the  distinct  species  or  established  races  from 
which  all  the  varieties  or  mules  have  originated. 

1st.  The  Common  Blue  Grape,  or  Bunch  Grape,  Vitis 
sylvestris,  or  V.  occidentalis.  This  is  the  most  common  grape. 
The  acini  or  berries  are  of  the  oblate  figure,  of  various  sizes 
on  different  plants,  and  of  various  tastes.  Some  are  sweet 
and  pleasant  enough,  having  a  musky  flavour.  They  are 
nearly  as  large  as  the  Burgundy  grape :  are  black  when  ripe, 
having  a  glaucous  bloom,  like  the  damson  plum.  The  leaves 
of  this  species  are  large  :  their  under  surface  covered  with  a 
clay-coloured  down  or  pubescence.  They  are  tri-lobed,  each 
lobe  subdivided  or  dentated.  Some  varieties  have  very  deep 
sinuosities,  almost  touching  the  mid-rib. 

2d.  Fox-Grape,  Vitis  wlpina,  ofBartram,  V.  foliis  cordatis 
subtrilobis,  dentatis;  subtus  iomentosis,  Linn.  Spec,  plant. 
V.  vulpina  dicta  Virginiana  alba ;  Plucku.  aim.  392.  Vitis 
vulpina  dicta  acinis  peramplis  purpureis  in  racemo  paucis, 
sapore  fatido  et  ingrato  praditis,  cute  crassa  carnosa,  Clayt. 
n.  696.  The  last  part  of  the  description  is  decisive ;  every 
word  true  when  applied  to  our  fox-grape  of  Pennsylvania ; 
and  Dr.  Clayton's  authority  should  be  relied  on,  as  he  was  a 
native  of  Virginia,  spent  his  life  there,  and  was  an  excellent 
botanist.  The  leaves  of  the  fox-grape  are  large  and  lobated, 
not  much  unlike  those  of  the  common  bunch  grape,  but  not  so 
deeply  sinuated  and  toothed ;  their  under  surface  thickly 
covered  with  a  yellow  pubescence  or  down  ;  the  fruit  bunches 
short,  having  few  acini  or  berries  on  them,  but  these  few  are 
large,  and  of  an  oblate  figure.  Some  are  as  large  as  a  musket- 
ball,  others  are  of  different  sizes,  and  the  colours  are  black, 
red,  purple,  green  and  white,  when  ripe.  All  possess  a  strong 
rancid  smell  and  taste,  have  a  coriaceous  skin,  and  a  tough  jelly- 
like  pulp  or  tegument  which  encloses  the  seeds.  Between  this 
nucleus  and  the  skin  is  a  sweet  lively  juice,  but  a  little  acerb 
or  stinging  to  the  mouth  if  pressed  hard  in  eating  them.  There 

28 


218  NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES. 

is  another  property  of  this  grape  which  alone  is  sufficient  to 
prove  it  to  be  the  Vit.  vulpina,  that  is,  the  strong  rancid  smell 
of  its  ripe  fruit,  very  like  the  effluvia  arising  from  the  body  of 
the  fox,  which  gave  rise  to  the  specific  name  of  this  vine,  and 
not,  as  many  have  imagined,  from  its  being  the  favourite  food 
of  the  animal ;  for  the  fox  (at  least  the  American  species)  sel- 
dom eats  grapes  or  other  fruit  if  he  can  get  animal  food. 

The  vines,  though  they  make  vig6rous  and  extensive  shoots, 
never  mount  high,  but  ramble  over  shrubs  and  low  trees  to  a 
great  distance  from  the  original  root.  This  appears  to  be  the 
V.  taurina  of  Walter,  and  the  V.  labrusca  of  Linnaeus. 

3d.  Bull-grape,  Vitis  taurina  of  Bartram,  Vit.  vulpina 
of  Linnaeus  and  Walter.  This  excellent  grape  is  called  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Georgia,  Carolina  and  Florida,  Bull-grape.* 
The  preceding  species  is  called  fox-grape  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Florida.  The  bull-grape  has  a  stiff,  ligneous,  smooth  stem, 
of  a  pale  ash-colour,  and  mounts  to  a  great  height  by  climbing 
up  trees.  The  leaves  are  cordated  and  serrated,  thin,  and  both 
surfaces  naked  or  smooth.  The  racemes  or  fruit  bunches  short, 
containing  fifteen  or  twenty  grapes  at  a  medium.  The  berries 
or  acini  are  large,  near  the  size  of  a  rifle-ball ;  of  a  black  colour 
when  ripe  ;  having  a  bluish  nebula  over  them,  which  being 
rubbed  off,  they  appear  of  a  deep  blood-colour.  In  figure 
they  approach  to  an  ellipsis  or  prolate  spheroid :  however,  at 
a  little  distance  they  appear  black  and  round.  This  species 
is  deservedly  esteemed  the  best  native  grape  in  America,  and 
would  make  a  rich  and  delicious  wine.  The  juice  is  sweet, 
rich  and  lively,  and  there  is  but  little  of  the  tough  jelly-like 
substance  enclosing  the  seed.  The  skin  of  the  grape  is  rather 
thick,  yet  there  is  a  sweet  melting  pulp  within,  which  mixes 
with  the  saccharine  juice  when  eaten.  This  undoubtedly  is 
the  first  American  grape  which  merits  attention  and  cultivation 
for  wine.  It  thrives  in  every  soil  and  situation  from  the  sea- 


*  Mr.  Bartram  stated  that  the  word  bull  was  an  abbreviation  of  bullet ;  the 
grapes  being  so  called  from  their  approaching  nearly  the  size  of  a  bullet.  The 
name,  "  taurina"  is,  therefore,  not  the  most  proper. 


NOMENCLATURE  OP  GRAPES.  219 

coast  to  the  mountains  ;  it  even  thrives  and  is  fruitful  when 
growing  in  the  barren  sand-hills  of  Carolina  and  Florida. 

4th.  Winter-Grape,  Vitis  serotina.  Cotyledon  palmated. 
This  is  a  vine  remarkable  for  its  sweet  flowers.  It  mounts 
to  the  top  of  high  trees  ;  the  stems  and  twigs  more  hard  and 
ligneous  than  the  bunch  grape,  to  which  I  think  it  approaches 
the  nearest.  The  leaves  are  small,  cordated,  smooth,  thin 
and  serrated.  The  fruit  bunches  branched,  but  the  berries 
small  and  black,  not  so  large  as  currants ;  the  fruit  not  ripe 
till  late  in  the  autumn,  and  the  juice  extremely  sour  and  ill- 
tasted,  so  that  even  birds  will  not  eat  them  till  meliorated 
by  the  winter  frosts. 

I  shall  now  mention  the  varieties  that  appear  to  me  to  have 
arisen  from  a  commixture  of  the  several  species  or  races. 

Alexander's  or  Tasked  s  grape,  is  a  large  grape,  black  or 
blue,  the  size  of  the  fruit  of  the  Vit.  vinifera  of  the  old  conti- 
nent. The  grapes  approach  to  the  elliptical  figure.  They 
are,  when  fully  ripe,  perfectly  black,  and  as  sweet  as  any  grape. 
(?auth.)  Many  persons  think  them  too  luscious.  Before  they 
are  quite  ripe,  some  think  they  possess  a  little  of  the  stingy 
flavour  of  the  fox-grape,  but  my  taste  never  could  discover  it. 
It  has  been  supposed  to  be  a  hybrid  between  Vit.  sylvestris 
(common  bunch  grape)  and  Vit.  vinifera,  because  it  was  found 
on  the  rocky  hills  near  the  river  Schuylkill,  above  the  upper 
ferry,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  an  old  vineyard  of  European 
grapes  :  but  I  believe  it  to  be  an  American. 

Blanks  grape.  This  is  an  excellent  grape.  The  bunches 
large,  branched,  and  well  shaped,  six  or  eight  inches  in  length. 
The  berries  large,  about  the  size  of  the  common  white  grape 
of  Europe,  and  round  or  oblate ;  when  perfectly  ripe,  of  a 
dark  purple  or  red  wine  colour  ;  the  juice  sweet  and  lively, 
having  a  little  musky  flavour,  with  a  small  portion  of  an  agree- 
able astringency,  somewhat  like  our  best  bunch  or  wild  grapes, 
though  much  sweeter  than  any  of  them.  If  this  grape  is  what 
I  take  it  to  be,  a  genuine  American,  it  is  a  hybrid  or  variety. 
It  was  found  in  Virginia,  where  it  is  called  the  Virginia  mus- 
cadel,  and  sent  to  me  by  the  late  Col.  Bland.  This  excel- 


220  NOMENCLATURE  OP  CRAPES. 

lent  grape  bids  the  fairest,  next  to  the  bull-grape,  to  afford  a 
good  wine. 

There  seems  to  be  no  end  to  the  varieties  of  Vit.  syfaestris, 
or  bunch  grape,  in  size  and  taste  of  the  fruit,  as  also  in  the 
leaves.  There  is  a  middle-sized  round  grape,  called  Raccoon- 
grape,  which  appears  to  be  much  of  the  nature  of  the  fox- 
grape.  It  is  black  when  ripe  :  has  much  of  the  stingy  taste 
and  rancid  smell  of  the  fox-grape,  and  the  tough  jelly  pulp  that 
envelopes  the  seed  ;  the  skin  thick ;  but  it  is  not  more  than 
half  the  size  of  the  fox-grape. 

Thus  it  appears  to  me  that  we  have  in  the  United  States 
four  species  of  Vitis  or  grape  vines,  viz. 

1.  Vitis  sylvestris,  or  Vit.  Americana,  or  occidentalis,  com- 
mon bunch  grape. 

2.  V.  vulpina,  fox-grape. 

3.  V.  taurina,  bullet-grape. 

4.  V.  serotina,  winter-grape,   by  some  called  Bermudian 
grape,  and  innumerable  varieties  and  hybrids. 

By  varieties  I  mean  different  sorts  of  an  individual  species, 
and  by  hybrids,  spurious  offspring  by  intermixture  of  species. 
Of  the  latter  sort  are, 

1.  Alexander's  or  Tasker's  grape.* 

2.  Bland' s-grape. 

3.  Raccoon-grape.* 


*  I  'differ  in  regard  to  these  being  hybrids,  they  are  varieties  and  nothing 
more. — AUTH. 


221 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

THE  French  boast  that  their  country  possesses  greater 
advantages  than  any  other  for  the  successful  culture  of  the 
vine,  and  that  for  centuries  her  vineyards  have  been  regarded 
as  one  of  the  principal  sources  of  her  territorial  riches,  and 
that  the  exportation  of  their  produce  has  been  the  certain 
means  of  making  the  balance  of  trade  with  foreign  nations  at 
all  times  in  her  favour.  If  we  banish  from  our  recollection 
the  once  luxuriant  fields  of  now  enervated  Italy,  and  pass  from 
the  recollection  of  the  genial  climes  and  bright  sun  of  Spain 
and  Portugal,  we  shall  doubtless  be  compelled  to  acquiesce 
with  the  sons  of  France,  so  far  as  relates  to  the  eastern  hemi- 
sphere, but  when  we  recur  to  our  own  happy  country,  combin- 
ing every  variety  of  clime  and  soil,  with  the  conscious  know- 
ledge that  she  is  yet  but  in  her  infancy,  and  look  forward  with 
the  gaze  of  anxious  hope  to  her  high  destiny,  can  we  as  Ame- 
ricans fail  to  reply  to  that  nation  in  her  own  language  : 

Voila  I'Amerique  ta  rival ! 

Too  long  indeed  have  the  natural  riches  of  our  soil  remained 
subject  to  the  bias  of  contracted  vision,  and  dormant  beneath 
the  eye  of  prejudice.  Too  long  indeed  have  Americans  listen- 
ed to  the  counsel  of  strangers  to  their  country  and  to  its  in- 
terests, rather  than  seek  for  facts  in  the  bosom  of  her  grate- 
ful soil,  thereby  allowing  their  own  reason  and  intelligence  to 
be  the  dupe  of  foreign  ignorance,  envy  and  rivalry.  "  France," 
says  a  French  writer,  (who  seems  more  conversant  with  flowers 
of  rhetoric  than  with  those  of  horticulture,)  "  possesses  in  her 
vineyards  mines  of  wealth,  whose  advantages  are  furnished  by 
natural  causes  which  secure  to  her  a  superiority  in  this  respect 
which  no  other  nation  can  dispute."  Happily  for  ourselves 
we  live  in  an  age  and  country  in  which  the  people  are  but 
little  prone  to  credit  such  exclusive  possession  of  nature's  gifts, 
and  it  will  create  exceeding  disappointment  in  all  unprejudiced 
minds,  if  the  lapse  of  a  few  short  years  shall  not  place  this 
affected  superiority  of  France  among  the  fictions  and  delusion! 


222  PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

of  former  ages.  Bountiful  nature,  replete  with  benevolence, 
has  bestowed  on  us  every  favour  within  her  gift,  and  asks  only 
of  man  to  aid  the  developement  of  her  intrinsic  riches  by 
the  hand  of  culture.  As  to  the  assertions  advanced  by  some 
foreign  writers,  that  the  same  grape  varies  so  much  by  re- 
moval as  to  entirely  lose  its  character,  and  that  the  same  kind 
of  wine  can  in  no  case  be  made  from  it  in  different  localities, 
they  certainly  cannot  be  supported  by  facts,  and  have  prin- 
cipally obtained  currency  and  credence  by  repetition ;  for  as 
positive  proof  to  the  contrary,  we  may  quote  the  Pineau  class, 
which  has  every  where  been  recognised  from  the  remotest  pe- 
riods, and  cannot  be  mistaken  for  any  other ;  and  the  Meunier, 
which  is  only  a  subvariety  of  the  same  family,  can  never  fail 
to  be  distinguished.  We  may  also  enumerate  the  Muscat 
family,  which  can  in  no  case  lose  their  identity  or  the  pecu- 
liarities of  their  class.  That  the  quality  of  the  fruit  may  be 
varied  by  soil,  climate,  &c.  to  a  certain  degree,  is  acknow- 
ledged and  has  been  already  avowed;  the  grapes  may  also 
be  less  mature  and  spirituous  in  an  unfavourable  situation, 
or  they  may  not  mature  at  all  in  a  too  rigorous  or  northern 
•  locality,  but  it  not  does  thence  arise  that  the  grape  loses  its 
character  any  more  than  might  be  said  of  an  orange  tree, 
which  when  transplanted  too  far  north  should  perish  totally. 
For  much  as  its  product  may  be  varied  and  modified  by  the 
operation  of  diverse  causes  on  the  maturity  of  the  fruit,  and 
by  changes  in  the  process  of  making  wines  ;  still  the  primitive 
character  is  maintained,  and  the  same  grape  may  be  recog- 
nized ;  and  however  remote  the  countries  may  be  in  which  it  is 
planted,  a  doubt  can  scarcely  exist  but  that  a  similar  climate 
attended  by  the  same  mode  of  culture,  and  a  like  process 
in  making  the  wine,  will  be  attended  with  similar  results. 
Numerous  titles  have  been  applied  to  the  same  vine  in  different 
districts,  which  have  been  by  some  supposed  to  have  been  in- 
fluenced by  attendant  changes  of  character,  but  which  are 
in  fact  the  result  of  the  simplest  causes,  and  arise  in  the  same 
manner  that  some  of  our  best  known  apples  or  peaches,  in 
transmission  through  our  country,  receive  numerous  appella- 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE.  223 

tions  derived  from  the  names  of  their  owners  or  the  fancy  of 
their  cultivators. 

The  vines  of  Madeira  may  be  enumerated  as  succeeding 
among  us  to  an  eminent  degree,  exhibiting  the  greatest  vigour 
in  their  growth,  and  yielding  in  favourable  locations  fruit  and 
wine  which  combine  virtues  equal  to  those  whence  they  were 
derived. 

In  making  our  selections,  the  principal  point  to  be  observed 
in  addition  to  the  natural  properties  of  the  fruit,  is  the  necessary 
applicability  of  the  variety  to  the  severity  or  mildness  of  the 
climate,  a  subject  which  has  been  already  fully  discussed  in 
the  chapter  commencing  at  page  59. 

It  is  however  within  the  bounds  of  reasonable  supposition, 
that  species  peculiar  to  any  country  with  their  attendant  va- 
rieties, may  in  some  cases  possess  a  natural  aptness  or  applica- 
bility to  their  respective  regions.  But  even  this  peculiar 
adaptation  subsides  after  removal  by  long  culture ;  for  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  species  of  the  vine  now  the  most 
cultivated,  -was  a  stranger  to  all  those  countries  where  it  now 
receives  its  fullest  developement ;  alike  to  the  vineyards  of 
France,  Tokay,  Spain,  Oporto,  the  Cape,  and  the  Madeira 
isles.  And  even  in  several  of  the  West  India  islands,  beneath 
a  tropical  sun,  a  number  of  varieties  are  successfully  culti- 
vated, a  fact  of  which  European  writers  seem  to  be  absolutely 
ignorant. 

The  extent  of  our  territory  over  which  the  vine  culture  may 
be  advantageously  diffused,  will  afford  a  subject  for  much 
speculation.  A  doctrine  advanced  by  European  writers,  is, 
that  the  region  of  the  maize  culture  is  also  that  of  the  vine. 
This  region  in  France  extends  from  the  Mediterranean  coast 
nearly  to  the  Loire,  including  Poitou,  and  the  country  south 
of  a  line  from  thence  to  Nancy.  The  wine  country  of  France 
extends  from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  north  of  that  line,  since 
profitable  vineyards  are  found  in  Champagne,  Maine,  Orleans, 
and  the  central  part  of  Lorraine,  where  the  maize  is  never 
cultivated  as  a  crop.  By  parity  of  reason,  the  vine  may  be 
cultivated  with  equal  profit,  from  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  those 


224  PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

parts  of  the  union  which  lie  rather  further  to  the  north  than 
where  the  maize  or  Indian  corn  is  to  be  considered  a  sure  crop. 
So  conscious  of  this  character  of  adaptation  to  climate,  are 
even  the  vignerons  of  other  countries,  that  demands  have 
already  been  made  for  our  native  varieties,  to  be  transferred 
to  other  climes,  and  the  author  has  already  at  the  request  of  his 
correspondents,  transmitted  a  number  of  American  varieties  to 
Marseilles,  Germany,  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  and  even  to 
Madeira ;  and  it  has  been  asserted,  than  an  American  vine 
introduced  into  France  some  years  since,  and  known  by  the 
title  of  Bedford  grape,  is  now  held  there  in  much  estimation. 
This  vine  was  carried  from  the  town  in  Pennsylvania,  whose 
name  it  bears,  and  is  most  probably  the  Alexander,  and  there- 
fore not  equal  to  many  others  of  our  natives. 

The  following  remarks  are  from  the  pen  of  Professor  Nuttall  of 

Harvard  University. 

"  It  is  probable  that  hybrids  betwixt  the  European  Vine, 
(Vitis  viniferd)  and  those  of  the  United  States,  would  better 
answer  the  variable  climates  of  North  America,  than  the  un- 
acclimated  vine  of  Europe.  When  a  portion  of  the  same  in- 
dustry shall  have  been  bestowed  upon  the  cultivation  of  the 
native  vines  of  America,  which  has  for  so  many  ages  and  by 
so  many  nations,  been  devoted  to  the  amelioration  of  Vitis 
vinifera,  we  cannot  imagine  that  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States  will  be  longer  indebted  to  Europe  for  the  luxury  of  wine. 
It  is  not  however  in  the  wilds  of  uncultivated  nature  that  we 
are  to  obtain  vines  worthy  of  cultivation,  were  this  the  case, 
Europe  would  to  the  present  have  known  no  other  Malus  than 
the  worthless  austere  crab,  in  place  of  the  finest  apple ;  no 
other  Pyrus  than  the  acerb  and  inedible  Pyraster  or  stone 
Pear,  from  which  cultivation  has  obtained  all  the  other  va- 
rieties. It  is  from  seed  that  new  and  valuable  varieties  are  in- 
variably to  be  obtained.  There  is  however  at  the  present  time, 
a  variety  of  one  of  the  native  species  cultivated  under  the  name 
of  "  Eland's  grape,"  a  hybrid  no  way  in  my  opinion  inferior 
to  some  of  the  best  European  grapes." 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

The  Peach  and  the  Vine  being  natural  productions  of  the 
same  region  of  the  east,  the  opinion  has  been  uniformly 
adopted,  that  a  climate  favourable  to  the  one  could  not  fail  to 
be  suitable  to  the  other.  And  where,  let  me  ask,  does  the 
former  thrive  to  a  greater  degree  than  in  many  sections  of  our 
country  ?  From  the  shores  of  Long  Island,  and  even  much 
farther  north,  to  the  most  southern  limits  of  the  union,  the 
peach  flourishes  and  produces  fruit  of  the  highest  quality. 
In  the  south  of  France  and  Italy,  the  culture  of  the  more 
choice  and  delicious  varieties  had  given  to  those  climes  a  fame 
to  cope  with  which  required  the  possession  by  other  countries 
of  such  as  combined  equal  natural  merits.  The  choicest  they 
could  boast  have  been  latterly  introduced  among  us,  and  we 
have  also  originated  many  most  luscious  seminal  varieties ; 
and  those  who  possess  them  know  from  their  own  experience, 
and  from  the  opinions  of  others  who  are  familiar  with  the  pro- 
duce of  the  countries  referred  to,  that  in  this  fruit  we  have  no 
longer  a  rival  in  Europe.  Hence  we  may  deduce  the  most  sure 
prospects  of  an  equal  success  for  the  Vine,  whose  culture  when 
compared  with  that  of  the  Peach,  is  yet  in  its  infancy. 

The  power,  wealth,  and  happiness  of  France,  are  principal- 
ly attributable  to  the  foresight  she  has  evinced  in  the  introduc- 
tion to  her  soil  of  the  most  valuable  natural  productions  of 
other  countries.  It  has  been  remarked  that  perhaps  no  enter- 
prise in  rural  economy  devised  by  the  genius  of  a  single  man, 
has  carried  with  it  more  important  results  than  the  first 
plantation  of  the  Mulberry  in  the  garden  of  the  Tuilleries, 
formed  at  the  commencement  of  the  seventeenth  century,  by 
the  command  of  Henry  IV.  At  this  moment,  though  but  lit- 
tle more  than  a  century  has  elapsed,  during  only  the  latter 
part  of  which  suitable  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  culture 
of  silk,  the  value  of  the  raw  material  amounts  to  $4,700,000, 
and  that  of  its  fabrication  to  above  $16,000,000,  making 
a  total  of  about  $21,000,000.  The  Olive,  the  Almond, 
and  the  Fig,  were  in  like  manner  adopted  in  the  agriculture 
of  France,  together  with  numerous  other  fruits  of  minor  im- 
portance. The  vines  indigenous  to  her  soil  were  absolutely 

29 


226  PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

worthless,  and  those  originally  brought  from  other  countries 
were  not  superior  in  quality  to  many  of  the  native  kinds 
found  in  our  forests ;  and  the  number  of  esteemed  French 
varieties,  even  as  late  as  the  year  1720,  was  far  less  than 
we  are  already  able  to  enumerate  as  the  natural  products 
of  our  woods  and  prairies,  the  spontaneous  gifts  of  nature, 
unaided  by  the  hand  of  man.  Yet,  at  the  present  period, 
that  adopted  country  of  the  vine  has  nearly  4,000,000  of 
acres  devoted  to  its  culture,  which  yield  an  annual  product 
of  one  thousand  millions  of  gallons,  of  the  average  value  of 
more  than  $150,000,000. 

And  what  country  ever  presented  a  more  eligible  theatre  for 
agricultural  pursuits  than  the  United  States  ?  The  land  pro- 
prietors are  not  oppressed  by  feudal  tenures,  exorbitant  taxes, 
vexatious  tithes,  or  exhausting  poor  rates.  The  land  is  both 
fertile  and  cheap,  and  the  great  diversity  of  soil  and  climate 
seem  to  invite  the  introduction  of  the  varied  products  of  other 
climes.  The  country  penetrated  in  every  direction,  even  to 
its  remotest  bounds,  by  navigable  rivers,  and  intersected  by 
canals  and  artificial  roads,  offers  every  advantage  for  speedy 
transmission  of  its  productions. 

What  a  revolution  has  not  the  introduction  of  cotton  already 
effected !  What  results  does  not  the  silk  culture  already  pro^ 
mise  us  as  our  reward  at  no  distant  day  ! 

The  Sugar  Cane,  for  which  France  and  the  residue  of  Europe 
are  dependent  on  the  Indies,  already  forms  a  most  important 
item  among  our  productions,  and  promises  ere  long  to  be 
ranked  among  our  exports. 

The  product  of  the  vine  in  like  manner  will  be  ours,  with 
all  its  attendant  advantages  and  blessings.  The  olive  culture 
is  already  extending  in  the  south  ;  and  the  almond,  the  fig,  the 
date,  the  orange,  lemon,  lime,  citron,  filbert,  maron,  pomegra- 
nate, guava,  stone  pine,  and  almost  every  other  production 
which  has  been  heretofore  enumerated  among  our  importa- 
tions, are  destined  hereafter  to  become  the  abundant  pro- 
ducts of  our  own  fields,  and  articles  of  supply  to  other  na- 
tions. Such  are  the  happy  coincidences  of  country,  of  cli- 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE.  627 

mate,  and  of  government,  that  all  which  is  required  of  us  is 
but  to  exercise  our  judgment  and  our  skill  in  perfecting  the 
advantages  which  nature  has  so  liberally  tendered  ;  by  the  ex- 
ercise of  which,  the  balance  of  trade,  of  wealth,  and  of  power, 
cannot  fail  to  be  for  ever  secured  to  us. 

The  present  extent  of  American  vineyards,  and  the  rapid 
advances  now  making  in  their  formation,  do  not  properly  con- 
stitute part  of  the  present  volume ;  but  on  that  subject  the  most 
ample  and  detailed  information  will  be  given  in  the  ensuing 
one.  I  will  here  therefore  only  give  some  cursory  remarks  on 
that  head  from  the  pen  of  an  intelligent  writer  of  Pennsylvania. 

"  The  vine  culture  seems  to  have  become  a  favourite  pursuit 
with  the  agriculturists  of  the  present  day,  and  forms  an  object 
of  great  promise  in  York  county,  Pa.  Experiments  have 
already  shewn  that  the  vine  will  not  only  flourish  in  the  poor- 
er soils  of  that  county,  but  that  excellent  wine  can  be  made 
there,  and  that  vineyards  will  become  as  profitable  as  any 
other  agricultural  pursuit.  A  portion  of  the  lands  in  York 
county  is  poor  and  thin,  commonly  called  barrens,  and  it  has 
been  proved  that  the  vine  succeeds  well  on  it,  and  twenty 
acres  of  it,  which  can  now  be  bought  at  from  $6  to  $10  per 
acre,  when  planted  with  vines,  and  at  maturity,  will  be  more 
productive  to  the  owner  than  two  hundred  acres  of  the  best 
land  in  the  county,  devoted  to  other  culture.  There  are  per- 
haps not  less  than  thirty  or  forty  vineyards  within  twenty  miles 
of  the  borough  of  York,  and  nearly  all  commenced  within 
three  years.  Should  this  disposition  increase,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence the  wine-press  be  made  to  take  the  place  of  the  dis- 
tillery, it  will  benefit  the  morals  of  the  community.  Among 
what  are  called  civilized  nations,  the  vice  of  drunkenness  has 
always  been  found  to  prevail  most  extensively  where  the  vine 
is  not  cultivated  ;  while  on  the  other  hand,  where  that  culture 
is  widely  extended,  the  temperance  of  the  people  is  proverbial." 

Similar  sentiments  and  like  prospects  of  success  seem  to 
pervade  all  parts  of  our  country  where  the  culture  of  the  vine 
has  received  merited  attention  ;  and  the  daily  increasing  devo- 
tion to  the  subject  in  the  formation  of  additional  vineyards, 


228  PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  ON  CULTURE. 

will  ere  long  cause  each  section  of  our  republic  to  respond  to 
the  efforts  of  the  others. 

The  information  which  I  have  elicited  on  this  head  from 
every  part  of  the  union,  and  which  will  form  part  of  the  matter 
of  the  ensuing  volume,  evinces  when  concentrated,  advances 
so  much  greater  than  could  well  have  been  anticipated  at  this 
early  stage  of  our  progress,  that  I  doubt  not  it  will  strike  with 
amazement  even  the  most  sanguine  friends  of  the  vine.  Suffice 
it  here  to  say,  that  a  degree  of  perseverance  and  enthusiasm 
seems  to  pervade  all  the  votaries  of  this  delightful  pursuit,  and  a 
warm  and  friendly  interchange  of  views  and  sentiments  exists 
among  them,  which  has  been  comparatively  unknown  in  other 
species  of  culture ;  and  although  the  operators,  from  being 
disseminated  over  so  great  an  extent  of  territory,  are  conse- 
quently more  widely  separated  from  each  other,  still  the  exist- 
ence of  a  connecting  link,  by  friendly  co-operation  in  one 
common  cause,  may  justly  and  appropriately  assimilate  their 
united  exertions  to  that  joyous  period  in  the  history  of  France, 
when  during  the  reign  of  Probus,  thousands  of  all  ages  and 
sexes  united  in  one  spontaneous  and  enthusiastic  effort  for  the 
restoration  of  their  vineyards.  Nor  indeed  when  the  far 
greater  limits  of  our  territory  are  considered,  can  the  com- 
bined efforts  of  our  fellow-countrymen  fail  to  produce  effects 
even  more  important,  from  the  greater  extent  of  their  influence. 

The  opinions  of  some  political  writers,  that  we  should  con- 
tinue to  import  adulterated  wines  and  spirits  of  all  kinds,  in 
order  to  afford  the  government  the  means  of  thence  deriving  a 
revenue  of  a  per  centage  on  their  value,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of 
the  morals  of  the  nation,  and  the  diminution  of  its  wealth,  by 
a  course  seemingly  less  objectionable,  because  less  direct ;  but 
which  is  not  less  fatal  in  exhausting  our  resources  ;  seem  fast 
merging  to  that  oblivion,  where  the  desire  and  the  pride  of  a 
truly  national  independence  should  consign  them ;  and  we  may 
hope  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant,  when  America  will  fully 
establish  and  claim  a  rivalry  with  the  most  favoured  lands  of 
the  vine  and  the  olive,  and  proudly  disclaim  being  tributary 
to  any  foreign  clime. 


REMARKS  ON  CULTURE.  229 

CULTURE. 

The  consideration  of  culture  naturally  divides  itself  into 
three  parts. 

First,  The  great  or  vineyard  culture,  comprising  that  of 
fields  and  plantations  on  an  extended  scale,  for  the  manufacture 
of  wines,  brandies,  and  raisins. 

Second,  The  small  or  garden  culture,  on  a  more  limited 
scale,  for  the  supply  of  the  markets  with  fresh  fruits,  or  for 
family  supplies  alone. 

Third,  Hothouse  culture,  where  artificial  heat  is  resorted 
to,  either  to  obviate  the  effects  of  climate,  or  to  advance  the 
maturity. 

In  viewing  the  subject,  I  shall  commence  by  considering  it 
in  its  more  extended  and  most  important  character,  which  will 
necessarily  comprise  many  remarks  of  general  applicability, 
and  equally  referrible  to  the  more  limited  species  of  cultiva- 
tion, 

Great  or  Vineyard  Culture. 

It  is  a  subject  of  much  difficulty  to  prescribe  the  proper 
course  of  culture  required  by  the  vine  in  every  country.  So 
many  circumstances  are  connected  with  its  growth,  the  excel- 
lence of  its  fruits,  and  the  abundance  of  its  crops,  that  a  different 
treatise  would  almost  seem  necessary  for  every  country,  climate, 
and  exposition. 

To  what  country  is  our  attention  most  particularly  drawn 
for  lessons  on  this  interesting  subject  ?  To  France !  to  "  La 
belle  France!"  which  has  emphatically  stripped  from  ancient 
Greece  her  prerogative,  and  become  "the  favoured  land  of  the 
vine  and  the  olive."  Spreading  as  she  does  over  the  same 
degrees  of  latitude  as  are  embraced  by  our  own  country,  with 
the  advantage  on  our  part  of  a  still  wider  domain,  it  is  to  her 
we  may  look  with  reason  for  instruction  suited  to  our  proper 
circumstances,  and  we  may  be  willing  with  pride  to  learn  from 
a  nation  celebrated  for  her  liberality  in  the  diffusion  of  all 
knowledge  connected  with  the  sciences  and  the  arts. 


230  GREAT  OR  VINEYARD  CULTURE. 

The  manner  of  cultivating  the  vine  presents  in  general 
great  differences ;  but  in  every  district,  whatever  may  be  the 
exposition  and  situation  of  the  soil,  the  cultivators  follow  esta- 
blished practices.  All  the  methods  adopted,  notwithstanding 
their  variations,  may  be  nevertheless  essentially  good,  but  it  is 
impossible  at  the  same  time  that  they  should  suit  every  coun- 
try, I  will  not^  therefore  undertake  here  to  describe  the  whole. 
From  the  high  state  of  perfection  to  which  the  vineyards  are 
carried  in  Provence,  Duhamel  has  adopted  the  course  of 
management  there  practised  as  one  proper  to  impart  general 
instruction,  and  from  the  last  edition  of  his  work  published 
in  1825,  I  shall  extract  what  is  deemed  most  important  to 
my  purpose. 

The  culture  having  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  epoch  of 
maturity,  and  upon  the  quality  and  size  of  the  fruit,  it  is  to 
the  choice  of  a  judicious  system  in  its  operations,  that  we 
should  bestow  our  particular  attention.  The  principal  object 
of  a  vigneron,  is  that  the  grapes  may  acquire  the  saccharine 
matter,  which  is  the  true  principle  required  in  the  fermentation, 
and  this  is  only  to  be  obtained  by  using  all  possible  means  to 
complete  the  maturity  of  the  grape.  The  heat  which  accu- 
mulates in  the  earth  during  the  summer,  begins  to  exhale  from 
it  as  soon  as  the  nights  become  cool,  which  is  very  frequently 
before  the  grape  is  completely  mature.  It  is  therefore  advise- 
able  to  keep  the  vines  trained  low,  so  that  the  grapes  may 
be  much  nearer  the  earth  in  a  cold  climate,  and  may  re- 
ceive the  benefit  of  that  heat.  This  influence  of  heat  from 
the  earth  varies  much  in  several  respects.  It  is  greater  in 
black  soils  because  they  absorb  more  of  the  solar  rays,  and 
also  in  vineyards  where  the  plants  are  distant  from  each  other, 
because  the  rays  can  then  penetrate  to  a  greater  degree ;  and 
upon  declivities  and  sloping  lands,  because  they  receive  more 
of  the  sun's  heat,  and  on  dry  soils,  because  the  heat  is  not  car- 
ried away  by  the  influence  of  water.  This  heat  continues 
longer  on  the  hills  and  against  walls  and  places  sheltered  from 
winds,  than  on  the  summit  of  mountains  and  in  plains.  The 
great  quantity  of  leaves,  stalks,  and  poles,  form  a  covert,  which 


GREAT  OR  VINEYARD  CULTURE.  231 

prevents  the  rapid  evaporation  of  that  terrestrial  warmth,  and 
it  is  from  this  effect  that  they  account  for  a  result  contrary  to 
one  of  the  precedents  already  stated,  which  has  been  observed 
in  certain  vineyards  around  Paris  where  the  vines  touch,  but 
nevertheless  often  attain  to  an  earlier  maturity,  than  neigh- 
bouring vineyards  where  the  vines  are  more  remote. 

An  entire  misconception  appears  to  exist  among  some  cul- 
tivators of  the  vine  in  the,  colder  latitudes  of  our  country. 
Acquainted  as  they  are  with  the  difficulty  of  maturing  many 
varieties  of  grapes  in  their  respective  locations,  they  apply 
manure  profusely  for  the  purpose  of  insuring  success,  which  by 
causing  the  plant  to  advance  greatly  in  the  growth  of  its  wood 
and  foliage,  and  to  continue  this  state  of  verdure  to  a  much 
later  period,  has  absolutely  an  effect  directly  the  reverse  of 
what  was  desired  and  anticipated,  by  retarding  the  growth 
and  maturity  of  the  grapes,  and  often  serves  to  prevent  their 
ripening  at  all,  when  otherwise  they  would  not  have  failed  to 
have  been  perfectly  matured. 

So  many  facts  conduce  to  prove  the  influence  of  culture 
upon  the  quality  of  the  fruit,  and  consequently  on  that  of  the 
wine,  that  no  one  can  be  ignorant  of  it ;  the  bunches  which 
ripen  in  Sicily,  and  in  the  isles  of  the  Archipelago,  on  the 
tops  of  the  tallest  trees,  in  Italy  on  trees  cropped  down  to  ten 
or  twelve  feet  in  height,  in  the  plains  of  Languedoc  to  stocks 
but  two  or  three  feet  in  height,  could  not  ripen  in  the  north 
unless  trained  within  a  few  inches  of  the  ground  or  against 
walls.  This  indicates  what  is  really  the  fact,  that  if  is  indis- 
pensable that  a  different  course  of  culture  be  pursued,  applica- 
ble in  each  case  to  the  respective  climate  where  the  vine  is 
planted.  Vineyards  planted  upon  very  steep  hills  require  a 
different  mode  of  treatment  from  those  which  are  on  plains, 
and  those  in  moist  soils  from  others  in  dry  situations.  Different 
varieties  of  vines  also  need  some  variation  in  their  manage- 
ment, and  inattention  to  these  points  is  the  reason  why  many 
have  failed  of  success,  who  have  endeavoured  to  improve  the 
quality  of  their  wines  by  the  introduction  of  plants  from  the 
most  celebrated  vineyards,  without  adopting  the  methods  of  cuK 


232  GREAT  OR  VINEYARD  CULTURE. 

ture  pursued  by  those  who  were  successful  in  their  management. 
The  details  which  will  be  given  hereafter,  when  speaking  of 
the  different  French  vineyards  will  fully  establish  these  facts. 
The  Romans  reared  their  vines  by  fastening  them  to  certain 
trees,  as  the  poplar  and  the  elm,  &c,,  whence  these  trees  were 
said  to  be  wedded  to  the  vines,  which  gave  rise  to  Ovid's  ele- 
gant and  entertaining  story  of  Vertumnus  and  Pomona.  The 
vines,  as  has  been  already  stated,  mounted  to  the  very  highest 
branches  of  the  loftiest  trees,  and  even  overtopped  them  ;  and 
Pliny  states  that  on  this  account  the  grape  gatherers,  in  time 
of  vintage,  put  a  clause  into  their  covenants  when  they  were 
hired,  that  in  case  their ,  feet  should  slip  and  their  necks  be 
broken,  their  employers  should  give  orders  for  their  funeral 
fire  and  tomb  at  their  own  expense.  This  mode  of  culture  is 
still  continued  in  that  country,  as  well  as  in  many  parts  of 
Sicily,  where  Swinburne  tells  us,  in  the  walks  under  the  rocky 
cliffs  of  Posilipo,  the  peasant  is  seen  swinging  from  the  top 
of  a  tree  on  a  rope  of  twisted  willows,  engaged  in  trimming 
the  poplar  and  the  luxuriant  tendrils  of  the  vine,  while  the 
whole  vale  rings  with  his  rustic  ditty,  which  so  naturally  brings 
to  mind  the  verse  in  Virgil — 

"  Hinc  alta  sub  rupe  canet  fronrlfttur  ad  auras.1* 

The  lopper  shall  sing  to  the  winds  under  the  lofty  rodu 

Preparing  the  Ground. 

Although  various  modes  are  pursued  in  the  preparation  of 
soil  by  trenching  or  ploughing  it  to  a  greater  or  less  depth, 
and  in  extending  this  preparation  to  the  whole  field  or  only 
to  broader  or  narrower  strips  where  the  rows  of  vines  are  to 
be  planted,  still  there  cannot  exist  a  doubt  that  the  more  per- 
fectly this  first  operation  is  accomplished,  and  the  more  light 
and  mellow  the  earth  thereby  becomes,  the  more  rapid  will  be 
the  advance  of  the  vines  from  the  advantages  thus  afforded  for 
the  extension  of  the  roots.  The  French  writers  universally 
allow,  that  in  preparing  for  a  vineyard,  it  is  preferable  that 
the  whole  ground  should  be  trenched  to  the  depth  of  one  foot 


PREPARI3SG  THE  GROUND*  233 

and  a  half,  and  that  at  all  events  this  should  extend  a  foot  or 
more  in  breadth,  where  the  rows  of  vines  are  to  be  planted, 
which  operation  is  usually  performed  the  year  previous  to 
planting.  The  French  vineyards  being  mostly  on  stony  ground, 
it  is  often  necessary  to  dig  out  many  of  the  stones  in  order  to 
facilitate  the  extension  of  the  roots,  and  to  render  the  after 
working  of  the  ground  less  laborious.  In  such  cases  these 
stones  are  gathered  in  heaps  or  placed  as  at  Cote-Rotie  in 
lines,  in  such  manner  as  to  prevent  the  soil  being  washed  away, 
thus  affording  economical  terraces  much  more  solid  than  those 
formed  by  hedges  of  shrubs,  as  is  generally  the  method  pur- 
sued. London  seems  averse  to  cultivating  the  earth  to  a  great 
depth,  and  makes  the  remark,  that  "in  nine  cases  out  of  ten, 
the  unfruitfulness  of  the  wall  trees  in  England  is  owing  to  the 
too  great  depth  and  richness  of  the  borders,  and  the  continual 
cropping  and  digging  of  their  surfaces ;"  but  other  writers  in 
speaking  of  the  vine,  state  that  the  ground  should  be  dug  to 
the  depth  of  two  and  a  half  or  three  feet.  The  safest  measure 
to  pursue,  is  to  read  all  that  others  have  to  say,  and  then  to  ex- 
ercise one's  own  judgment. 

The  course  which  I  should  most  approve  and  recommend, 
both  from  considerations  of  economy  in  labour  and  beneficial 
results,  is  to  plough  to  as  great  depth  as  can  be  done,  with 
four  oxen  or  horses  and  a  plough  of  proportionate  strength, 
or  by  having  two  ploughs  to  follow  each  other  ;  this  opera- 
tion should  be  performed  early  in  the  season,  after  having 
covered  the  surface  with  a  good  coat  of  compost  or  rich  loam, 
or  if  stable  manure  can  alone  be  had,  it  should  be  that  which  is 
old  and  decomposed,  and  where  all  scent  has  evaporated ;  after 
two  or  three  weeks  'have  elapsed,  harrow  it  and  clean  it  from 
noxious  weeds.  This  ploughing  and  after  harrowing  can  be 
repeated  twice  or  thrice  ^during  the  season  at  suitable  periods 
from  May  to  November,  and  the  oftener  it  is  performed  the 
better,  as  it  serves  not  only  to  render  the  soil  completely  per- 
vious to  the  roots,  but  also  ameliorates  it  by  subjecting  every 
part  of  it  to  the  operation  of  the  atmosphere,  and  by  allowing 
the  evaporation  of  superabundant  humidity.  At  the  last 

30 


234  PREPARING  THE** ROUND. 

ploughing  in  October  or  November,  it  is  particularly  recom- 
mended to  furrow  to  as  great  a  depth  as  possible,  by  the  use 
of  two  strong  ploughs  to  follow  each  other.  The  coverings 
of  compost,  or  decomposed  stable  manure,  can  be  repeated  at 
more  or  less  of  the  several  ploughings,  and  in  all  cases  with 
great  advantage.  During  these  preparations  of  the  soil,  all 
large  stones  should  be  removed,  as  they  would  obstruct  future 
operations,  but  the  smaller  ones  will  be  rather  beneficial  than 
otherwise. 

The  final  harrowing  in  November  will  leave  the  ground  in 
a  suitable  state  to  receive  the  vines,  the  various  ploughings 
having  mellowed  the  earth  to  the  depth  of  nearly  or   quite 
two  feet.     Another  method  of  preparing  the   ground,   and 
generally  deemed  still  more    advantageous,    is    by  double 
trenching,  which  is  performed  in  the  following  manner,  in 
case  the  operation  is  extended  to  the  whole  surface.     Mark 
oat  a  given  plot,  either  an  oblong  or  a  perfect  square,  then 
strike  a  line  at  one  end,  and  mark  off  a  strip  of  two  feet  in 
width,  from  this  dig  out  the  earth  to  the  depth  of  two  spits, 
which  remove  by  a  cart  or  wagon  to  the  opposite  extremity, 
this  of  course  will  leave  an  excavation  for  the  whole  breadth 
of  the  plot  of  two  feet  in  width,  and  about  the  same  depth  ; 
next  strike  the  line  and  mark  off  another  strip  of  two  feet  ad- 
joining the  first ;  from  this  remove  one  spit  or  foot  of  earth 
and  throw  into  the  first  excavation  or  trench,  on  this  throw  a 
thick  coat  of  compost,  rich  loam,  or  manure  of  the  description 
before  mentioned,  and  above  this  throw  a  second  spit  of  earth 
from  the  second  trench ;  the  result  of  this  operation  is  that 
about  a  foot  of  the  surface  mould  is  placed  below,  and  a  foot 
of  the  lower  mould  is  brought  to  the  surface,  with  a  layer  of 
manure  between  the  two.     This  process  is  to  be  continued 
till  the  plot  is  completed,  and  it  will  be  at  once  perceived  that 
the  requisite  quantity  of  manure   should  be  placed  on  the 
ground  previous  to  commencing  the  other  operations,  this 
should  be  laid  in  heaps  of  about  a  cart  load  each.     The  prin- 
cipal objection  to  this  mode  of  preparation  is  the  enhanced 
expense  attending  it  when  compared  with  the  former  mode, 


PREPARING  THE  GROUND.  235 

but  when  men  are  employed  who  understand  it,  the  requisite 
disbursement  is  not  so  great  as  would  be  supposed,  and  no 
men  are  in  general  more  competent  to  its  performance  than 
the  Irish  emigrants. 

I  have  found  the  expense  of  this  mode  of  preparation  to  ave- 
rage about  $12,75,  for  every  ten  thousand  square  feet  of  sur- 
face. It  is  probably  as  much  on  account  of  the  expense  as  from  a 
consideration  of  the  labour  in.  removing  the  stones,  that  in  many 
vineyards  established  on  stony  soils,  they  trench  only  a  narrow 
strip  of  ground  where  the  row  of  vines  is  to  be  planted,  and 
this  course  may  be  in  like  manner  pursued  by  those  among 
us  who  are  averse  to  incurring  greater  expense,  and  in  doing 
it  the  following  mode  may  be  pursued.  Having  marked  out 
by  lines  the  strip  to  be  trenched,  dig  out  the  earth  to  the  depth 
of  one  foot,  and  throw  on  one  side  of  it,  and  remove  the  earth 
to  the  depth  of  another  foot,  and  throw  on  the  other  side ; 
then  recommence  by  throwing  the  former  at  the  bottom  of  the 
trench,  and  after  covering  it  with  a  thick  coat  of  compost  or 
manure,  place  the  remainder  of  the  earth  on  the  top  of  it.  It 
will  readily  be  understood,  that  as  the  advantage  of  preparing 
the  whole  plot  in  this  manner  i§  proportionably  greater  than 
that  of  a  part  only,  in  like  proportion  to  the  breadth  of  the 
strips  of  ground  thus  trenched,  will  be  the  advantages  derived 
from  it,  by  affording  the  means  of  a  more  wide  and  easy  ex- 
tension of  the  roots. 

Those  consequently  who  are  willing  to  incur  the  disbursement 
requisite  for  an  entire  preparation  of  the  ground,  will  reap  ad- 
vantages far  exceeding  the  difference  in  expe-nse,  and  I  would 
recommend  that  in  planting  a  vineyard  which  without  doubt 
may  stand  for  ages,  no  parsimony  or  false  economy  be  introdu- 
ced ;  but  that  every  disbursement  be  considered  according  to  its 
relative  importance  as  connected  with  the  great  object  in  view. 
Where  the  planting  of  the  vines  is  deferred  till  spring,  the 
ground  should  be  again  ploughed  to  as  great  a  depth  as  pos- 
sible as  soon  as  it  is  sufficiently  dry,  and  be  followed  by  the 
harrowing  as  before.  The  more  compact  the  soil,  the 
deeper  it  should  be  worked  in  preparing  it.  If  it  is  low  arid 


PLANTING  VINES. 

wet,  particular  pains  should  be  taken  for  draining  off  any  stag- 
nant waters. 

Planting  Vines. 

In  all  climates  where  the  excessive  cold  is  not  an  insur- 
mountable objection,  the  fall  planting  is  to  be  preferred.  And 
the  advantage  is  the  same  with  the  vine  as  with  fruit  trees. 
It  allows  a  sufficient  period  for  the  ground  to  become  settled 
and  compact  about  the  roots,  and  the  latter  become  prepared 
during  the  same  space  of  time,  to  throw  out  the  small  fibrous 
roots  whose  vegetation  commences  at  the  first  return  of  spring, 
uninterrupted  by  any  retardment  which  a  spring  removal  is 
calculated  to  produce..  Their  growth  in  such  case  seems  un- 
affected by  the  transition,  and  the  settled  state  of  the  earth 
which  allows  the  young  roots  to  extend  themselves  promptly, 
forms  a  powerful  protection  against  the  effects  of  drought, 
whereas  when  they  are  removed  in  the  spring,  the  looseness 
of  the  earth  for  a  considerable  period,  retards  the  advance  of 
vegetation,  and  renders  them  liable  to  much  injury,  thereby 
causing  many  vines  to  entirely  fail  unless  they  are  nourished 
by  frequent  waterings. 

In  the  colder  latitudes  however,  spring  planting  will  be  ab- 
solutely necessary  on  account  of  the  climate,  for  it  is  well  known 
that  vines  planted  in  the  spring  become  by  the  summer's 
growth,  established  in  the  soil,  and  acquire  sufficient  strength 
and  vigour  to  resist  severities  of  climate,  which  would  in  many 
cases  prove  fatal  to  them  if  planted  in  the  autumn,  whereas  in 
the  latter  case  sufficient  time  would  not  be  allowed  for  the  roots 
to  take  hold  of  the  soil,  and  to  establish  themselves  in  their  new 
position.  In  removing  the  vines  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
roots  moist  from  the  time  they  are  taken  up  until  replanted,  and 
they  should  be  also  well  watered  immediately  after  planting. 

An  intelligent  Swiss  correspondent  advises  me,  when  plant- 
ing to  dip  the  buts  of  scions  and  the  roots  of  vines  in  a  mixture 
of  cow  droppings  and  water.  The  holes  for  the  vines  should 
be  two  feet  deep,  and  the  same  square  or  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  vines,  being  made  in  all  cases  sufficiently  capacious 
to  allow  the  roots  to  take  their  proper  position. 


PLANTING  VINES.  237 

The  autumnal  planting  should  take  place  at  the  fall  of  the 
leaf,  say  in  the  eastern  states  after  the  20th  October ;  in  the 
middle  states,  and  as  far  south  as  Georgia,  it  should  be  per- 
formed in  November,  and  in  Alabama,  Louisiana,  and  Flori- 
da, in  December.  I  am  convinced  that  where  the  winters  are 
severe,  early  fall  planting  is  much  more  advantageous  than 
when  it  is  deferred,  as  the  vines  will  form  young  roots  the 
same  season,  which  will  greatly  aid  them  in  supporting  the  ap- 
proaching rigours  of  the  climate.  But  where  the  great  seve- 
rity of  the  winter  renders  spring  planting  necessary,  it  should 
be  performed  at  the  earliest  possible  period  after  the  frost  has 
left  the  earth,  which  in  this  latitude  is  generally  from  the  5th 
to  the  15th  of  March. 

A  new  vine  should  not  be  placed  in  the  precise  spot  whence 
an  old  one  has  been  removed,  but  the  earth  must  be  allowed 
time  to  resume  its  natural  vigour. 

The  earth  that  is  used  to  fill  in  the  holes  or  trenches,  should 
be  pulverized  ;  and  in  doing  this,  and  in  every  other  operation, 
it  is  very  desirable  that  the  earth  which  has  been  meliorated 
by  the  influence  of  the  atmosphere,  be  placed  at  the  bottom,  so 
as  to  be  nearer  to  the  roots. 

As  a  measure  of  economy,  the  trenches  for  planting  may  be 
opened  with  a  heavy  plough,  which  can  be  run  several  times 
in  the  same  furrow,  until  it  is  of  the  requisite  depth,  and  any 
additional  clearing  out  of  the  earth  deemed  necessary  can  be 
done  with  the  spade. 

In  planting  vines,  the  French  writers  recommend  giving 
them  an  oblique,  or  rather  a  curved  position,  by  laying  the 
root  across  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  and  leaning  the  upper  part 
of  it  to  one  side,  and  assign  the  same  reason  as  given  for 
planting  cuttings  obliquely. 

in  all  plantations  of  vines  care  should  be  taken  that  they 
be  as  far  as  possible  of  uniform  size  and  strength,  as  young 
ones  do  not  prosper  to  an  equal  degree  when  mingled  with 
older  and  stronger  ones. 

If  the  ground  has  been  well  worked  and  prepared  beforehand 
the  holes  for  planting  the  vines  need  not  be  more  than  a  foot 


538 


DISTANCES  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  PLANTING. 


or  eighteen  inches  square,  with  a  depth  of  one  and  a  half  or 
two  feet  according  as  the  size  of  the  plants  may  require,  but 
if  the  previous  preparation  has  not  been  thoroughly  performed 
they  should  be  two  feet  every  way.  In  planting  cuttings  in 
prepared  ground,  no  larger  holes  are  required  than  can  be 
made  with  a  pin  of  iron  or  hard  wood,  called  a  dibble,  such 
as  is  generally  used  in  planting  cabbages,  &c. 

In  planting  vines,  leave  the  buds  always  open  to  the  air  and 
free  from  covering ;  some  persons  cover  the  whole  vine  when 
they  plant,  which  is  an  erroneous  procedure,  as  a  rooted 
vine  will  support  itself,  but  the  ground  when  raised  often  be- 
comes heated  by  warm  rains,  and  rots  or  moulds  the  vine,  in' 
consequence  of  which  many  perish. 

Distances  to  be  observed  in  Planting. 

The  distance  at  which  it  is  desirable  to  plant  vines  cannot 
be  subjected  to  any  fixed  rule,  but  should  be  regulated  by  cir- 
cumstances, and  must  depend  upon  the  kind  of  culture  desired 
to  be  adopted,  upon  the  wish  to  have  more  wine  or  that  of  finer 
quality,  and  also  on  the  nature  of  the  soil.  Those  who  wish 
to  form  hautins  or  high  trained  vines,  and  those  who  form  trel- 
lices  which  admit  of  their  extension,  should  plant  the  vines 
more  remote  than  they  who  train  their  vines  low.  It  is  also  to 
be  considered,  that  the  less  the  vines  are  confined  as  to  space, 
the  better  are  they  nourished,  and  the  more  are  they  exposed 
to  the  beneficial  influence  of  solar  heat ;  but  in  poor  soils, 
if  placed  more  distant,  they  will  attain  to  a  greater  age  than 
in  rich  soils.  In  the  department  of  Ain,  the  vines  are  planted 
in  quincunx,  and  at  a  foot  and  a  half  distant,  an  arpent  thus 
containing  5000. 

Vines  planted  in  double  rows,  with  a  space  of  two  feet  be- 
tween them,  and  a  space  of  three  feet  intervening  between  every 
two  rows,  are  by  many  deemed  the  most  advantageous  in  regard 
to  duration,  abundant  produce,  and  quality;  because  they  have 
the  more  space  to  extend  their  roots  ;  and  their  foliage  and 
fruit  partake  more  fully  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  air  and  sun. 
The  intermediate  space  need  not  be  lost,  for  some  branches  can 


DISTANCES  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  PLANTING.  239 

be  trained  to  occupy  it,  or  it  can  be  sown  with  lentiles,  beans, 
barley,  turnips,  &c.  When  it  is  desired  in  a  warm  climate  to 
have  abundance  of  wine  without  exhausting  the  soil,  the  vines 
must  be  placed  at  a  greater  distance,  six,  eight,  and  even  ten 
feet  apart,  and  they  can  be  ranged  in  parallel  rows,  with  the 
branches  trained  horizontally  in  the  line  of  the  rows,  by  means 
of  poles  fixed  in  the  ranges  of  the  vines.  It  is  also  an  excellent 
method,  where  it  is  desirable  to  raise  grain,  and  other  articles 
on  the  same  ground  to  plant  the  vines  in  ranges,  at  the  distance 
of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  for  not  only  do  they  produce  excellent 
wine,  and  abundant  crops,  but  in  hot  climates  the  vines  trained 
in  palisades  shelter  and  increase  the  productions  of  the  in- 
tervening spaces.  It  is  now  well  understood,  that  the  more 
space  the  vine  is  allowed  whence  to  derive  its  nourishment, 
with  the  more  air  and  more  sun ;  the  greater  will  be  the  ad- 
tantages  derived  from  it,  in  addition  to  which  it  requires  less 
labour.  The  warmer  the  climate,  the  greater  the  distance 
at  which  vines  should  be  placed  from  each  other.  In  the 
neighbourhood  of  Paris,  which  is  one  of  the  most  northern 
localities  of  vineyards,  they  plant  them  but  two  feet  apart, 
which  is  the  least  possible  distance  that  should  ever  be  allowed. 

In  the  detail  of  the  different  modes  of  culture  pursued  in  the 
respective  vineyards  of  France,  I  shall  state  the  distance  gene- 
rally adopted  in  each. 

In  Italy,  the  vines  are  left  to  mount  the  trees,  but  although 
this  culture  may  suit  a  climate  so  hot,  that  the  shade  of  the 
branches  will  not  prevent  the  ripening  of  the  grapes,  still  it 
is  unsuitable  to  more  northern  locations,  where  vines  so  trained 
could  not  mature  their  fruit,  and  consequently  would  not  pro- 
o!uce  good  wine ;  indeed  it  is  asserted  that  in  every  climate 
where  they  are  thus  trained,  the  wine  is  inferior. 

The  most  simple  manner  of  establishing  a  vineyard  to  be 
cultivated  in  hautins,  or  high  trained  vines,  is  to  plant  trees 
headed  down  to  eight  or  ten  feet,  of  about  two  inches  in  diame- 
ter, and  at  two  toises  distance  from  each  other,  and  when  they 
become  established,  to  plant  beside  each  tree  from  one  to  four 
vines  which  are  first  trained  on  the  branches,  and  are  then  led 


240  DISTANCES  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  PLANTING, 

in  festoons  from  one  tree  to  another.  The  intermediate  soil 
is  usually  cultivated  in  grain  or  vegetables.  This  species  of 
culture  when  it  is  properly  attended  to,  produces  an  effect  very 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  In  some  parts  of  Italy,  this  mode  of  cul- 
tivation is  pursued  by  planting  dead  trees  to  support  the  vine, 
which  last  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  In  Trevisan,  they  make 
large  trenches  at  twenty  feet  apart,  and  ten  feet  from  each 
tree,  which  are  planted  in  quincunx.  They  put -therein  four 
vines  two  feet  and  a  half  from  each  other,  which  are  after- 
wards trained  along  until  they  approach  the  trees  that  are 
to  support  them ;  this  practice  is  much  recommended. 

One  of  the  most  advantageous  and  agreeable  modes  of  culti- 
vating the  vine,  is  to  plant  it  in  quincunx  or  in  a  line,  with  trees 
alternately,  which  must  be  kept  very  low,  say  two  or  three  feet 
high  only,  and  on  which  are  left  a  small  number  of  shoots  an- 
nually ;  the  distance  between  the  trees  to  be  ten  feet.  The  vines 
must  be  pruned  in  such  manner  that  they  may  have  every  year  six 
branches,  each  one  of  which  is  to  be  attached  to  the  tree  near- 
est to  it.  These  branches  form  festoons,  producing  quantities 
of  grapes  which  are  near  enough  to  the  earth  to  enjoy  the  bene- 
fit of  the  heat  emanating  from  it,  and  are  not  deprived  of  that 
of  the  sun.  Maples  have  been  generally  employed  for  this 
purpose,  but  some  eminent  writers  prefer  the  hawthorn,  be- 
cause its  growth  is  more  slow,  it  also  accommodates  itself  to 
poorer  soils,  and  its  foliage  does  not  cause  so  much  shade. 
Vines  thus  trained  are  to  be  found  in  the  island  of  Madeira. 

It  has  been  a  matter  of  surprise  that  this  practice,  so  in  ac- 
cordance with  theory,  has  not  been  more  generally  adopted  ; 
for  if  living  trees  were  deemed  objectionable,  stakes  could  be 
used  to  supply  their  places.  There  are  indeed  some  localities 
where  they  substitute  for  trees,  poles  of  the  size  of  a  man's 
arm,  six  or  eight  feet  in  height,  and  divided  or  forked  towards 
the  top.  These  are  sunk  deep  in  the  earth,  at  the  distance 
of  six  or  eight  feet,  and  at  the  foot  of  each  is  planted  a  vine 
whose  shoots  are  conducted  from  one  to  the  other  by  degrees 
in  the  form  of  festoons.  In  some  of  the  most  southern  de- 
partments of  France,  the  vines  are  planted  very  distant  from 


DISTANCES  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  PLANTING.  241 

each  other,  the  vine  is  trained  with  a  single  stalk  to  the 
height  of  two  feet,  and  the  plough  is  frequently  used  to  do  the 
labour. 

In  Burgundy,  Champagne,  and  in  the  environs  of  Paris 
and  Orleans,  and  other  places  in  that  section  of  France,  the 
vines  are  trained  as  near  the  earth  as  possible,  each  one  to 
a  pole  or  stake,  and  the  labour  is  done  with  a  pick-axe.  And 
even  in  Italy,  near  Barletta,  the  vines  are  trained  only  two 
feet  in  height,  in  order,  as  it  is  said,  to  mature  the  grapes 
the  more.  In  some  of  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  and 
in  a  few  instances  in  France,  the  vine  is  left  to  run  upon 
the  ground  ;  and  Zalloni  states  that  it  does  not  appear  to  in- 
jure the  quality  of  the  wine  produced  from  those  he  noticed, 
as  would  probably  be  the  case  in  a  climate  less  warm  and  dry. 

Some  eminent  French  writers,  taking  into  particular  consi- 
deration the  great  quantity  of  wood  consumed  in  countries 
where  it  is  scarce,  do  not  object  to  the  culture  of  the  vine 
without  poles  where  it  is  practicable,  on  account  of  the  econo- 
my which  can  thereby  be  exercised  in  saving  time  and  ex- 
pense ;  but  my  own  impressions  are,  that  in  any  case  such 
course  would  be  but  a  false  economy,  and  would  cause  in  its 
results  far  greater  loss  and  injury  to  the  crops  than  the  amount 
saved  by  it.  So  plentiful  however  is  the  article  of  wood 
throughout  our  country,  that  it  need  not  be  made  an  object  of 
great  consideration. 

In  the  vineyards  in  the  vicinity  of  Bordeaux,  Rochelle, 
Lyons,  and  Angers,  the  young  vines  are  trained  on  poles, 
while  the  old  ones  are  kept  quite  low,  and  the  ground  is  work- 
ed with  the  pick-axe. 

The  extraordinary  difference  in  vigour  and  other  charac- 
teristics between  the  American  and  foreign  vines,  indicates 
that  a  corresponding  variation  in  the  distance  at  which  they 
are  to  be  planted,  is  not  only  reasonable  but  necessary.  And 
from  the  greater  developement  which  our  native  vines  seem  to 
require,  I  conceive  that  they  may  be  much  more  successfully 
cultivated  by  being  allowed  to  cover  a  much  larger  space  than 
is  assigned  to  foreign  vines,  and  that  their  crops  under  such 

31 


242 


REARING  PLANTS  FOR  VINEYARDS. 


circumstances  will  be  much  more  abundant.  I  therefore  think 
that  if  the  rows  are  planted  six  feet  asunder  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  foreign  sorts,  the  vines  should  be  placed  twelve  feet 
apart  in  the  rows,  so  as  to  give  space  for  training  of  at  least 
double  the  portion  of  wood  allowed  to  the  exotic  kinds ;  and 
it  is  my  opinion,  drawn  from  their  apparent  natural  character, 
that  the  produce  from  each  vine  placed  at  such  distance,  will 
be  far  greater  than  from  two  vines  planted  at  half  the  dis- 
tance. 

Distinctions  must  doubtless  also  be  made  between  the 
native  varieties,  as  some  among  them  grow  with  an  exceeding 
degree  of  vigour,  and  seem  to  render  an  extensive  develope- 
ment  absolutely  necessary  to  their  success,  while  other  kinds 
are  less  prone  to  extend  themselves  than  many  of  the  Eu- 
ropean varieties.  These  variations  in  character,  and  the 
opinions  of  the  most  intelligent  vine  growers  of  our  coun 
try  on  points  connected  therewith,  will  be  made  the  subject  of 
after  comment. 

Rearing  Plants  for  Vineyards. 

M,  Antoine  David,  a  celebrated  French  writer,  most  appro- 
ved of  the  custom  now  prevalent,  of  forming  nurseries  of 
vines,  in  order  to  have  at  all  times  a  supply  of  rooted  plants, 
which  having  been  reared  in  the  vicinity  of  the  spot  where 
they  are  destined  to  be  permanently  planted,  evince  by  their 
progress,  whether  they  have  met  with  that  appropriateness  of 
soil  (terrenum  aptissimum)  which  is  requisite  for  a  speedy 
and  perfect  developement.  These  nurseries  furnish  all  the 
plants  required  to  replace  such  as  have  failed  or  may  languish. 
The  plant  has  in  this  case  the  same  age,  and  will  allow  of 
forming  provins  if  necessary. 

He  also  supports  this  practice  by  the  observations  of  Colu- 
mella,  whom  Olivier  de  Serres  called  his  master  and  oracle. 
In  stiff  soils,  where  scions  meet  with  numerous  obstacles  to 
their  speedy  establishment,  rooted  plants  alone  should  be  em- 
ployed, as  their  success  is  certain,  and  if  planted  with  proper 
care,  and  attention  to  manuring,  a  vineyard  may  soon  be  form- 
ed both  durable  and  of  abundant  produce. 


REARING   PLANTS  FOR  VINEYARDS.    .  243 

When  rooted  plants  are  not  obtainable  for  the  purpose, 
there  are  two  other  methods  of  obtaining  vineyards,  viz:  from 
scions  and  from  layers.  In  Provence,  cuttings  or  scions  are 
seldom  used,  but  preference  is  given  to  layers,  because  they 
are  much  less  subject  to  perish,  have  more  strength  to  resist 
the  extremes  of  cold  and  heat  and  unfavorable  weather,  and 
also  because  they  grow  much  faster,  and  consequently  yield 
fruit  at  an  earlier  period.  Nevertheless  cuttings  may  be  plant- 
ed in  place  of  layers  in  light  and  sandy  soils,  but  stiff  soils 
absolutely  require  rooted  vines  for  the  purpose.  This  mode 
of  raising  the  vine  was  long  known  to  the  ancients,  and  by  far 
the  greatest  number  of  authors  who  have  treated  on  agricul- 
ture, have  supported  the  precepts  of  Columella.  These,  as  I 
have  already  stated,  are  generally  followed  in  Provence,  and 
Duhamel  asserts  that  they  may  be  adopted  universally,  without 
fear  of  error. 

Some  authors  however  prefer  scions  to  large  rooted  plants, 
and  these  again  differ  on  the  point  of  preference  between 
scions  composed  wholly  of  new  wood,  and  those  which  have  a 
joint  or  more  of  the  two  years'  old  wood.  It  is  also  a  ques- 
tion whether  scions  had  better  be  planted  at  once  in  the  situa- 
tions they  are  to  occupy,  or  whether  it  is  best  to  plant  them  the 
first  season  in  a  nursery,  whence  they  can  be  transplanted  the 
next  year.  In  planting  the  scions,  they  should  be  put  a  foot 
or  more  in  depth,  and  French  writers  recommend  that  in  the 
operation  the  lower  end  should  be  curved,  which,  by  causing 
a  greater  accumulation  of  sap,  as  it  ascends  more  slowly 
when  they  are  thus  placed,  disposes  them  to  form  roots  more 
speedily.  When  rooted  plants  are  used,  this  precaution  is 
unnecessary  ;  and  these,  it  has  already  been  mentioned,  it  is 
deemed  most  advantageous  to  plant  in  autumn. 

In  the  formation  of  vineyards,  Duhamel  deprecates  the  cus- 
tom of  mingling  a  great  variety  of  grapes  in  one  plantation, 
and  attributes  to  this  cause  the  inferiority  of  the  wines  in  some 
of  the  most  favoured  regions  of  France ;  and  states  that  it 
should  not  be  forgotten  that  every  grape  has  a  distinguishing 
principle  peculiar  to  itself,  and  that  as  some  kinds  will  enter 


244 


REARING  VINES  FROM  CUTTINGS  AND  EYES. 


speedily  into  a  state  of  fermentation,  when  others  will  be  slow 
in  that  process,  these  opposite  characters  may  injure  both  the 
perfection  of  the  wine  and  its  preservation. 

Rearing  Vines  from  Cuttings  and  Eyes. 

Various  methods  have  been  adopted  and  pursued  in  this 
species  of  propagation,  for  while  some  persons  differ  in  the 
length  and  number  of  eyes  allowed  to  each  cutting,  many  vary 
in  regard  to  allowing  a  greater  or  less  portion  of  the  cutting 
to  remain  above  the  surface  of  the  ground,  while  others  cover 
them  totally  with  the  earth. 

A  difference  also  exists  in  respect  to  position,  and  in  placing 
them  either  perpendicularly,  obliquely,  or  horizontally  in  the 
ground.  Some  writers  insist  that  wood  of  two  years  old 
should  alone  be  used  for  cuttings,  others  that  there  should  be 
a  portion  of  the  old  wood  to  form  the  base  of  the  cutting, 
while  by  others  this  is  deemed  of  no  possible  importance,  and 
by  some  who  prefer  the  young  wood  altogether,  is  considered 
rather  detrimental.  The  most  common  course  pursued  to  form 
cuttings,  is  to  leave  to  each  three  joints  or  eyes,  the  wood 
being  cut  smooth  off  close  beneath  the  lower  one  ;  these  are 
planted  either  perpendicularly  or  obliquely  at  a  sufficient  depth 
to  entirely  cover  two  of  the  eyes,  and  to  consequently  leave 
one  above  the  surface.  In  some  cases  the  earth  is  then  raised 
so  as  to  entirely  cover  the  upper  part  of  the  scion,  but  that 
portion  is  more  generally  left  entirely  free  and  open  to  the  air 
The  same  method  is  adopted  by  others  with  this  difference, 
that  but  two  joints  are  allowed  to  each  cutting  which  conse- 
quently only  admits  of  one  to  be  beneath  the  surface. 

It  might  perhaps  be  advantageous  where  the  upper  part  of 
the  cutting  is  left  exposed  to  cover  the  end  with  a  composition 
of  beeswax  and  rosin,  but  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  ever  seen 
this  measure  adopted.  French  writers  advocate  the  use  of 
long  cuttings  containing  four  or  five  joints,  in  order  that  by 
placing  them  for  a  greater  length  in  the  ground,  they  may 
thereby  form  from  the  several  joints  distinct  sets  of  roots. 
But  so  far  as  experience  has  tested  the  fact  among  us,  the 


HEARING  VINES  FfcOM  CUTTINGS  AND  EYES.  245 

finest  vines  have  been  raised  from  short  cuttings  of  only  one 
or  two  eyes,  and  itf  seems  to  be  rational  that  single  eyes  should 
make  the  most  perfect  plants,  as  I  look  upon  it  as  one  of  the 
axioms  in  horticulture,  that  a  young  plant  is  the  more  perfect 
in  proportion  as  it  is  divested  of  any  section  of  an  old  one. 
The  only  advantage  that  appertains  to  long  cuttings  which  I 
can  perceive,  is  that  by  extending  to  a  greater  distance  in  the 
earth,  they  are  more  protected  against  the  effects  of  drought 
during  the  first  season ;  and  in  planting  vineyards  on  declivities 
they  are  less  likely  to  be  torn  away  by  floods  of  rain,  &c. 

Much  stress  is  laid  by  some  on  the  point  of  placing  the  cut- 
tings in  a  sloping  or  oblique  position  in  the  earth ;  but  having 
myself  practised  both  this  and  the  perpendicular  position  in 
my  plantations,  I  have  never  discovered  any  difference  as  to 
their  success.  It  is  said  that  in  some  parts  of  Germany  they 
practice  the  following  mode  : — Having  formed  cuttings  of 
three  eyes  each,  they  dig  holes  at  suitable  distances  where  the 
vines  are  to  be  permanently  located,  and  place  two  of  these  cut- 
tings horizontally  in  each,  and  cover  them  with  earth  to  the 
depth  of  about  one  inch  and  a  half.  By  this  mode  it  is  said 
very  few  fail,  and  it  being  on  the  same  principle  as  plant- 
ing eyes,  but  with  thrice  the  means  for  success,  I  doubt  not 
it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  pursue.  The  practice  of  raising  vines 
from  single  eyes  or  joints  is  now  very  prevalent.  It  is  neces- 
sary in  preparing  them  to  leave  half  an  inch  of  wood,  both 
above  and  below  the  joint ;  some  persons  leave  an  inch  each 
side,  and  others  half  an  inch  above,  and  two  inches  below  the 
joint.  These  are  planted  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  inches 
-below  the  surface  with  the  bud  uppermost,  and  their  positions 
may  be  marked  by  stakes  to  prevent  their  being  disturbed. 
Moderate  waterings  sufficient  to  keep  the  cuttings  moist,  but 
not  wet,  are  beneficial  in  case  the  season  should  prove  dry. 
I  have  understood  that  the  following  method  has  been  prac- 
ticed in  South  Carolina,  with  success : — A  piece  of  moist 
ground  having  been  selected,  the  eyes  were  prepared  by  cover- 
ing the  ends  with  a  composition  of  beeswax  and  rosin,  and 
they  were  then  placed  ione  inch  below  the  surface,  and  covered 


£46       REARING  VINES  PROM  CUTTINGS  AND  EYES. 

with  half  an  inch  of  fresh  stable  manure,  water  was  next  pour- 
ed on  to  settle  the  earth  around,  and  a  covering  of  moss 
spread  over  the  surface  to  preserve  moisture.  The  manner 
of  proceeding  just  detailed  seems  more  particularly  applicable 
to  the  southern  states,  and  to  localities  naturally  dry  and  arid, 
for  in  general,  very  moist  soils  are  objectionable  for  nurseries 
or  plantations  of  the  vine.  Dr.  Hillings  has  remarked  to  me, 
that  some  varieties  do  not  succeed  from  eyes  equally  well  as 
by  other  modes,  and  cites  the  Honey  grape  as  an  instance. 

In  the  states  north  of  the  Carolinas,  the  spring  is  the  most 
proper  season  for  planting  cuttings,  on  account  of  the  frequent 
extreme  severity  of  the  winters  in  many  parts,  which  would 
greatly  injure  or  destroy  them.  Even  a  top  covering  as  has 
been  suggested  by  some  persons,  would  be  insufficient  in  this 
latitude,  although  it  might  suffice  south  of  the  Potowmac. 
In  the  more  southern  states  it  is  generally  preferred  to  plant 
them  in  November  and  December,  although  many  defer  it 
till  February  and  March,  and  even  April,  and  succeed  very 
well  in  case  their  buds  are  not  too  far  advanced.  Berneaud 
states,  that  a  year  or  even  two  is  deemed  to  be  gained  by  fall 
planting,  and  that  it  is  said  if  half  the  slips  are  planted  in  the 
fall,  and  the  residue  the  following  spring,  that  at  the  end  of 
five  years,  the  former  will  have  borne  fruit  three  times,  while 
the  latter  will  have  borne  equally  well  but  once ;  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  planting  of  cuttings  in  the  fall,  carries  with 
it  the  same  proportionate  advantages,  as  planting  trees  at  the 
same  season,  as  it  in  like  manner  allows  time  for  the  ground  to 
become  settled,  and  prepares  the  scions  to  push  out  their  young 
fibres  at  the  first  incitement  of  vegetation.  The  difference  in 
effect  between  planting  trees  in  spring  and  autumn,  is  full  two- 
thirds  of  a  season's  growth,  besides  a  great  saving  in  the  lives, 
and  my  opinion  is,  that  advantages  fully  equal  are  secured  by 
pursuing  the  same  course  in  the  planting  of  vines  and  scions. 

The  season  of  pruning  the  vines  is  that  at  which  it  is  most 
convenient  and  advantageous  to  prepare  the  cuttings,  and  this 
is  performed  either  in  the  autumnal  or  winter  months.  But 
should  it  be  inconvenient  to  complete  their  preparation  at  that 


REARING  VINES  FROM  CUTTINGS  AND  EYES.  247 

moment,  the  shoots  may  be  cut  into  suitable  lengths  and  buried 
in  the  earth,  or  placed  in  some  other  situation  calculated  to  pre- 
serve them  sufficiently  moist  to  await  a  period  of  leisure.  The 
wood  selected  for  cuttings  should  be  from  vigorous  shoots  and 
such  only  as  are  perfectly  ripened.  The  rules  for  the  preservation 
of  cuttings  from  the  time  they  are  prepared  till  the  period  for 
planting  them,  are  based  on  the  simplest  principles,  being 
merely  to  preserve  the  vital  principle  without  an  advance  of 
vegetation,  or  with  as  partial  an  advance  as  possible.  Any 
method  therefore  which  may  be  adopted  to  effectually  preserve 
this  vitality,  will  ensure  general  success.  The  best  course,  and 
one  which  I  have  regularly  pursued,  is  to  bury  the  cuttings 
upright  for  two  thirds  their  length  in  boxes  of  clean  sand,  or 
to  cover  them  entirely  in  barrels  filled  with  the  same.  They 
can  then  be  placed  in  a  cellar  or  any  other  place  free  from  frost 
until  wanted.  It  is  recommended  as  much  more  advantageous 
to  keep  them  in  an  ice  house,  but  this  cannot  be  done  by  every 
one.  The  preferable  situation  for  them  is  where  the  cuttings 
will  be  so  cold  as  not  to  vegetate,  and  at  the  same  time,  retain 
sufficient  moisture  to  preserve  life.  The  sand  should  be  moist 
but  not  wet  enough  to  rot  the  scions,  and  it  should  be  clean  to 
prevent  their  becoming  mouldy.  With  a  proper  regard  to 
these  precautions,  there  need  be  no  doubt  of  a  successful  result* 
Another  method  of  preserving  cuttings,  is  to  dig  a  hole  in 
sandy  soil  of  sufficient  depth  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of  frost, 
where  they  can  be  placed  with  layers  of  sand  between  each 
layer  of  scions,  and  the  remainder  of  the  hole  be  filled  up  with 
hay,  straw,  or  sand.  In  this  situation  they  can  safely  remain 
until  the  middle  of  March  or  beginning  of  April.  In  most 
cases  it  is  beneficial  before  planting  the  cuttings,  to  soak  them 
for  some  hours  in  water  by  way  of  refreshing  them.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  defer  planting  the  cuttings  until  after  all 
spring  frosts  are  past,  because  the  natural  vegetation  of  vine& 
is  very  late,  and  a  considerable  time  will  elapse  before  the 
cuttings  push  out  shoots.  I  prefer  forming  my  plantations  of 
them  in  March,  and  I  have  never  known  any  to  be  injured  by 
frost ;  for  indeed  the  developement  of  the  foliage  of  grape  vines 


248  REARING  VINES  FROM  CUTTINGS  AND  EYES. 

generally  takes  place  so  late  in  the  season,  that  it  very  sel- 
dom happens  in  this  vicinity,  that  there  is  an  after  return  o 
frost. 

If  the  general  method  is  to  be  pursued  of  rearing  the  vines 
in  nurseries  preparatory  to  placing  them  in  their  destined  loca- 
tions, the  cuttings  may  be  planted  in  rows  from  two  to  two 
and  a  half  feet  asunder,  and  about  a  foot  a  part  in  the  rows, 
where  they  can  be  allowed  to  remain  until  they  have  made 
one  or  two  years'  growth  according  to  the  option  of  the  pro- 
prietor. Some  persons  prefer  raising  vines  in  pots,  but  this 
method  is  too  troublesome  to  be  pursued  on  a  large  scale,  ' 
and  where  so  much  greater  facilities  are  offered  by  open  cul- 
ture. Those  who  adopt  it  commence  their  operations  early 
in  the  spring,  and  generally  use  single  joints  to  each  end  of 
which  they  apply  composition  or  plaster ;  these  are  then 
planted  at  a  depth  of  one  and  a  half  inches  in  rich  soil,  and 
well  watered  to  settle  the  earth  :  the  pots  after  being  thus  pre- 
pared are  placed  in  a  hot  bed  and  regularly  watered,  where 
by  the  middle  of  May  or  June,  they  will  attain  sufficient 
growth  to  allow  of  their  being  turned  out  of  the  pots  and 
placed  in  the  garden  or  vineyard  intended  for  their  reception. 
Here  the  vines  should  receive  occasional  waterings  until  they 
become  established  in  their  new  position.  If  however  it  is 
preferred  to  plant  the  cuttings  at  once  in  a  permanent  situa- 
tion, the  following  course  can  be  pursued  :  After  the  distances 
have  been  marked  out  and  the  holes  prepared  to  receive  them, 
the  planting  can  proceed  by  adopting  such  one  of  the  different 
methods  as  may  be  preferred,  but  in  all  cases  I  would  recom- 
mend that  three  scions  be  set  in  each  place  thus  marked  out, 
in  order  to  allow  for  any  failures,  and  I  consider  it  preferable 
that  two  of  these  should  be  suffered  to  grow,  as  one  can  be 
afterwards  removed;  and  the  third  (if  that  should  succeed  also) 
can  be  destroyed  or  be  transplanted  the  ensuing  season.  By 
thus  planting  an  extra  number  of  scions,  you  secure  yourself 
against  the  injury  resulting  from  failure,  and  you  increase  the 
chance  of  a  successful  growth  three  to  one  ;  and  the  value  of 
the  extra  scions  is  nothing,  when  compared  with  the  time  that 


LAYERING  OR  PROVIGNAGE.  249 

might  be  lost,  and  the  disappointment  that  often  ensues,  from 
planting  single  scions. 

A  difference  of  opinion  exists  about  the  treatment  of  cuttings 
the  first  year,  for  while  some  urge  with  seeming  propriety  to 
prune  them  to  one  shoot,  others  contend  that  by  leaving  all 
that  may  appear,  the  stock  acquires  additional  strength. 

Layering  or  Provignage. 

This  is  an.  operation  very  generally  pursued  in  vineyards, 
and  it  is  only  those  who  cultivate  the  vine  in  hautins  and  on 
palisades  that  do  not  practise  it.  In  Burgundy  especially, 
and  in  other  more  northern  vineyards,  this  is  the^general  cus- 
tom. The  branches  or  shoots  intended  for  layers  should  not 
be  shortened  or  pruned  the  previous  season.  The  manner  of 
performing  the  provignage,  is  by  opening  the  ground  to  the 
depth  of  from  six  inches  to  a  foot,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of 
the  shoot,  whichis  then  laid  into  it  and  covered  with  earth, 
the  extreme  end  rising  from  the  further  side,  and  supported 
by  a  stake  or  pole.  Care  should  be  taken  to  remove  any 
eyes  found  upon  that  part  of  the  shoot  leading  from  the  parent 
stock  to  the  layer.  The  operation  should  take  place  either 
in  the  fall  or  early  in  the  spring,  and  the  layers,  unless  the 
branch  selected  is  of  extraordinary  size,  will  be  well  rooted  by 
the  ensuing  fall,  but  if  of  very  large  size,  they  will  require  a 
year  longer.  If  intended  to  be  removed,  the  period  for  trans- 
planting them  is  the  same  as  recommended  for  other  vines, 
when  they  should  be  cut  off  close  to  the  parent  stock.  The 
principal  object  of  this  practice  is  the  increase  of  the  vines  ; 
but  it  offers  other  important  benefits,  which  I  will  here  enu- 
merate :  the  branch  being  bent,  the  shoot  which  comes  from 
it  yields  more  and  better  fruit ;  forming  new  roots  it  draws 
more  sustenance  from  the  earth,  and  consequently  the  fruit 
becomes  larger  ;  it  renders  it  easy  to  keep  the  grapes  at  a 
short  distance  from  the  ground  in  climates  where  that  course  is 
necessary ;  and  lastly,  in  vineyards  where  this  course  is  prac- 
tised, new  vines  are  not  required,  for  there,  as  is  the  case  in 
Burgundy,  the  provins  not  being  separated  from  the  parent 

32 


250  LAYERING  OR  PROVIGNAGE. 

vines,  the  plants  can  be  preserved  for  centuries,  which  is 
favourable  to  the  quality  of  the  wine,  as  is  proved  at  the  Clos- 
de-Vougeot,  Marcs-d'or,  Migraine,  and  many  other  vineyards 
where  the  superiority  of  the  wine  is  derived  from  the  age  of 
the  vines,  which  are  four  or  five  hundred  years  old.  In  this 
respect  the  vine  culture  of  Burgundy  is  to  be  preferred. 

The  inconveniences  of  the  provignage  in  respect  to  the 
young  plants  when  separated  from  the  parent  vine,  as  is  done 
in  many  vineyards,  are  that  it  weakens  them  and  prolongs  the 
period  during  which  inferior  wine  is  produced  from  a  defi- 
ciency in  their  age  and  strength.  Some  proprietors  form 
provins  of  a  whole  vineyard  of  old  vines,  in  order  to  renew 
it,  which  is  considered  an  excellent  course.  It  is  also  a  good 
method  to  replace  by  this  plan  any  vines  that  have  died,  or 
vacancies  which  may  exist  in  a  vineyard.  In  France,  these 
provins  or  layers  are  only  made  from  old  stocks  of  five  to 
eight  years'  growth  at  least,  as  younger  ones  are  too  much 
injured  and  exhausted  by  the  operation  ;  and  indeed,  if  des- 
tined to  be  detached  from  the  stocks,  they  must  in  all  cases 
be  more  or  less  hurtful  to  the  parent  vines.  It  is  therefore 
always  deemed  better  to  have  recourse  to  propagation  by  cut- 
tings. A  vineyard  from  layers  comes  soonest  into  bearing, 
but  one  grown  from  cuttings  endures  the  longest,  and  is  the 
most  productive.  Those  therefore  who  prefer  the  wiser  course 
of  making  a  present  sacrifice,  in  order  to  ensure  future  advan- 
tage, will  prefer  the  latter;  whereas,  they  who  seek  for  im- 
mediate gratification  will  choose  the  former. 

Layers  may  also  be  made  from  shoots  of  the  same  year,  if 
laid  down  in  June,  and  the  ensuing  fall  or  spring  can  be  taken 
off  and  planted  where  desired.  Another  method  of  raising 
layers,  is  to  take  flower  pots  or  coarse  baskets  or  boxes  of 
about  a  peck  measurement,  before  vegetation  has  begun  ;  and 
train  a  shoot  through  the  centre  of  each  which  must  rise  above 
and  be  pruned  to  three  strong  buds,  the  pots  or  baskets  are 
then  to  be  filled  with  light  rich  soil,  and  a  stake  placed  by 
each  to  support  the  vine.  They  should  be  watered  occasion- 
ally through  the  season,  and  will  produce  fruit  the  same  year. 


REARING  VINES  FROM  SEEDS.  251 

Iii  the  fall,  the  old  shoot  can  be  cut  off  just  below  the  basket, 
which  can  now  be  removed  without  deranging  the  roots,  in 
order  to  plant  the  vine  in  a  vineyard  or  garden.  When 
baskets  are  used,  they  are  often  planted  without  removing  the 
vine  as  they  soon  decay ;  but  if  pots  or  boxes  are  used,  the  best 
course  is,  after  preparing  the  holes  for  their  reception,  to  turn 
them  out  with  the  earth  entire,  which  can  readily  be  done  by 
proper  attention,  and  these  vines  will  then  be  ready  to  bear 
fruit  the  ensuing  year. 
"  "f,  : :  .  / 
Rearing  Vines  from  Seeds. 

This  method  of  propagation  when  judiciously  pursued,  car- 
ries with  it  many  advantages.  It  serves  frequently  to  acclimate 
species,  the  original  varieties  of  which  are  little  calculated  to 
succeed,  by  the  production  of  such  as  have  characteristics 
better  suited  to  their  new  location.  It  also  frequently  ori- 
ginates varieties  of  superior  worth  and  excellence  to  the 
parent  stock.  And  by  a  renewal  of  the  original  vigour  of  the 
species  through  a  perfectly  natural  channel,  it  serves  to  give 
to  its  offspring  all  the  primitive  vigour  which  characterised  the 
plant.  It  is  indeed  nature's  grand  restorative  of  whatever  ex- 
haustion may  have  taken  place  from  any  causes  whatever. 
For  although  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  but  that  Pro- 
vidence has  afforded  the  means  of  perpetuating  the  gifts  of 
nature  without  limit  of  time,  still  as  vines  are  propagated  al- 
most entirely  from  scions,  and  but  seldom  by  ingrafting,  it  is 
probable  that  the  effects  of  a  long  culture  in  this  way  may  be 
more  sensibly  demonstrated,  than  where  the  natural  growth  of 
the  variety  is  aided  by  ingrafting  it  on  young  and  vigorous 
stocks. 

Seeds  intended  for  planting  should  be  carefully  preserved 
either  dry  or  in  sand  until  the  first  approach  of  spring,  the 
ground  should  then  be  prepared  by  making  it  extremely  rich, 
mellow,  and  light,  a  heavy  soil  being  entirely  inappropriate. 
In  this  drills  may  be  made  about  twenty  inches  apart,  and 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  deep,  into  which  the  seeds  can  be 
dropped  at  a  distance  of  about  six  inches  from  each  other, 


\ 


252  REARING  VINES  FROM  SEEDS. 

they  having  been  previously  soaked  in  water  for  a  few  hours. 
Immediately  after  planting,  the  ground  should  be  watered  to 
cause  it  to  settle,  and  whenever  the  weather  is  dry  this  should 
be  repeated.  Some  persons  in  order  to  obtain  a  greater  growth 
the  first  season,  sow  the  seeds  in  pots  during  the  winter 
months,  and  place  them  in  a  hot  bed,  where  by  regular  atten- 
dance they  attain  sufficient  size  by  the  middle  of  May,  to  be 
planted  out  in  nursery  rows. 

When  the  plants  have  grown  to  the  height  of  nine  or  ten 
inches,  stakes  of  about  three  feet  in  height  should  be  placed 
between  every  two  vines,  and  to  these  they  can  be  trained 
allowing  in  no  case  but  one  shoot  to  each  plant.  These  can 
be  subsequently  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  plants  of  the 
same  age  raised  from  cuttings.  There  will  however  be  some 
among  them  which  will  not  bear  fruit,  and  the  proportion  will 
be  greater  or  less  according  to  their  parentage.  As  soon 
therefore  as  these  barren  ones  can  be  designated  with  preci- 
sion, they  can  be  engrafted  with  such  varieties  as  may  be  pre- 
ferred. 

Major  Adlum  states  that  probably  not  more  than  half  the 
number  of  seedlings  will  produce  fruit.  Dr.  Rulings  states 
that  in  his  experiments,  principally  made  with  seeds  from  the 
most  southern  and  western  states,  including  some  from  Owa- 
chita,  he  found  only  about  one  in  seven  to  bear  fruit,  on  which 
account  he  ceased  rearing  any  more.  Others  have  been  more 
successful,  and  have  had  a  greater  proportion  of  fruitful  vines, 
than  is  named  by  either  of  the  preceding  gentlemen.  For  my 
own  part,  I  consider  the  proportionate  success  in  this  respect 
depends  altogether  on  the  species.  Our  northern  ones  are 
known  to  be  almost  wholly  polygamous,  whereas  several  of  the 
southern  varieties  are  dioecious  ;  it  thence  follows  that  we  may 
have  a  large  proportion  of  barren  seedlings  from  the  latter, 
when  we  would  scarcely  have  any  unfruitful  ones  from  the 
former,  and  as  a  natural  proof  of  the  latter  remark,  how  very 
few  barren  vines  do  we  discover  in  our  hedges  and  woods  ? 

Having  now  in  progress  nearly  or  quite  ten  thousand  seed- 
ling plants  reared  from  natural  varieties,  and  from  an  admixture 


REARING  TINES  FROM  SEEDS.  1253 

under  every  variety  of  circumstance,  I  shall  be  able  to  test 
the  above  point  to  ample  satisfaction. 

It  has  been  remarked  by  Mr.  Poiteau,  in  the  annals  of  the  Paris 
Horticultural  Society,  that  improved  varieties  seldom  originate 
in  regular  nurseries,  but  are  generally  produced  by  chance, 
and  found  in  woods  and  hedges,  where  the  finer  sorts  are  little 
known,  and  where  such  as  do  exist  are  mismanaged  and  ne- 
glected. Mr.  Knight  has  also  advanced  facts  to  prove  that 
a  crab  fecundated  by  the  pollen  of  a  good  fruit,  produces 
better  kinds  from  the  seeds  than  can -be  obtained  from  the 
seeds  of  good  fruit.  We  have  also  the  authority  of  Professor 
Van  Mons,  that  the  Flemish  horticulturists  in  their  attempts 
to  obtain  new  sorts,  do  not  prefer  the  seeds  of  meliorated  fruit. 
The  law  of  nature  that  "  like  begets  or  produces  like,"  it  is 
contended  by  the  writer  first  quoted,  is  not  always  uniform 
among  domesticated  animals  or  highly  cultivated  plants. 

These  remarks  are  no  doubt  for  the  most  part  just  and  ap- 
propriate, and  apply  equally  to  the  grape  as  to  other  fruits, 
nevertheless  as  we  have  every  day  the  most  decided  proofs 
that  the  law  of  nature  referred  to,  is  very  general  in  its  influence, 
I  would  advise  in  all  cases  where  a  union  of  varieties  is 
desired,  that  one  of  them  should  be  of  the  most  choice  descrip- 
tion, in  preference  to  blending  two  natural  or  inferior  varie- 
ties ;  and  seeds  produced  by  such  combination,  I  should  cer- 
tainly deem  better  calculated  to  yield  fine  fruit,  than  that 
obtained  from  natural  or  inferior  varieties  alone.  As  to  the 
necessity  of  pursuing  this  course  of  seminal  reproduction  for 
four  to  six  generations,  as  advanced  by  some  European  wri- 
ters, it  is  certainly  not  susceptible  of  argumentative  support 
where  the  first  union  is  a  judicious  one,  and  is  rather  calcu- 
lated to  weary  the  patience  of  the  experimentalist  than  to 
result  in  any  decided  benefits. 

In  all  attempts  at  artificial  fecundation,  I  would  recommend 
that  one  of  the  varieties  selected  be  of  native  origin,  as  there 
exists  no  want  of  hybrids  between  European  varieties  alone ; 
a  large  proportion  of  those  now  in  cultivation  having  been 
doubtless  produced  by  natural  admixture  of  the  pollen,  in  the 


254  INGRAFTING  VINES. 

vineyards  where  they  originated.  For  the  purpose  of  hybrid- 
izing, the  varieties  of  Vitis  astivalis  should  be  selected  in  pre- 
ference to  those  of  Vitis  labrusca,  on  account  of  the  much 
higher  vinous  properties  of  the  former ;  and  there  cannot  ex- 
ist a  doubt  but  that  we  may  readily  produce  well  acclimated 
hybrids  between  the  native  and  foreign  varieties,  without  the 
trouble  of  continuing  the  course  of  reproduction  for  many 
generations,  although  such  reproduction  from  species  so  dis- 
similar may  continue  to  present  additional  modifications  of 
character. 

Some  French  proprietors  who  are  willing  to  incur  present 
disbursements,  and  to  await  a  considerable  period  for  the  re- 
turns, plant  whole  vineyards  of  seedlings,  which  form  "durable 
vines,  and  when  raised  from  seeds  of  valuable  sorts  yield  crops 
of  good  quality.  I  have  understood  that  Mr.  Overdoff  of  P'enn- 
sylvania,  has  a  very  flourishing  vineyard  formed  of  seedling 
plants,  which  were  first  reared  in  his  garden,  and  after  the  first 
year,  transplanted  into  his  vineyard. 

Ingrafting  Vines. 

The  vine  differs  from  other  trees  in  having  no  liber  or  in- 
ner bark,  nor  cortical  coverings,  and  it  consequently  may  be 
ingrafted  without  its  being  requisite  to  bring  the  two  barks  in 
contact,  as  the  sap  ascends  by  the  different  capillary  vessels 
without  any  distinction  between  liber,  cortex,  or  wood,  whilst 
the  sap  of  other  trees  is  exclusively  conducted  between  the 
wood  and  the  bark.  Cleft-grafting  is  the  method  generally  pur- 
sued in  France  ;  and  in  some  districts  of  the  departments  of 
Gironde,  Bouches-du-Rhone,  Cote-d'or,  and  L'Yonne,  this 
method  of  propagation  is  much  practised  and  esteemed,  but 
some  object  to  inserting  white  varieties  on  red  ones.  The 
process  of  ingrafting  the  vine  is  by  no  means  a  novel  one, 
having  been  long  since  in  use  as  stated  by  Columella,  and 
other  ancient  authors  who  give  ^details  on  the  subject. 

It  is  not  considered  by  French  writers  as  of  much  impor- 
tance, but  I  think  in  our  own  country,  it  offers  far  more  bene- 
ficial results  than  in  any  other,  from  the  well  known  circum- 


INGRAFTING  VINES.  255 

stance  that  most  of  our  native  vines  possess  a  degree  of  vigour 
and  repletion  of  sap,  which  far  surpass  those  obtained  from 
other  climes ;  the  circumstance  therefore  of  giving  additional 
developement  to  foreign  vines  by  ingrafting  them  on  our  na- 
tives, merits  particular  consideration,  and  may  be  the  founda- 
tion of  a  new  species  of  vine  culture  in  our  future  vineyards. 
Speechly  remarks,  that  in  England,  the  ingrafting  of  vines  is 
but  little  attended  to,  although  of  so  much  importance  ;  as  a 
bad  vine  may  be  improved  without  loss  of  time,  and  he  states 
that  he  has  had  fine  grapes  from  the  same  year's  grafts,  the 
shoots  from  which  if  permitted  would  have  run  from  thirty  to 
forty  feet,  the  first  summer.  He  mentions  a  vine  of  the  Syrian 
kind  in  a  hot  house  at  Welbeck,  which  produced  sixteen 
different  varieties  of  grapes  from  as  many  graftings. 

William  R.  Armistead,  Esq.  was  among  the  first  who 
adopted  the  practice  in  our  own  country,  he  having  ingrafted 
in  1819,  four  vines  of  the  native  blue  or  bunch  grape  of  Vir- 
ginia, with  the  sweet  water  variety,  which  in  the  third  season 
produced  upwards  of  two  barrels  of  fruit.  And  at  his  sug- 
gestion, Col.  Gratiot  made  similar  attempts  by  inserting  "  the 
Portugal  or  Lisbon  grape,  such  as  is  usually  received  in  jars, 
upon  the  Fox  grape,  the  plants  of  which  were  transplanted 
from  the  swamps  only  the  previous  autumn,  which  experiment 
was  also  eminently  successful." 

The  period  for  the  operation  is  when  the  sap  begins  to 
rise,  and  it  seldom  fails  of  success  when  performed  in  the 
ground.  If  it  is  desired  to  have  many  varieties  ingrafted  on 
one  vine,  that  can  be  done  successfully  by  trailing  the  several 
branches  under  ground  to  the  points  desired,  and  then  in- 
grafting each  in  the  earth  in  the  manner  hereafter  Detailed. 
It  is  preferable  that  the  scions  be  cut  some  time  previous,  and 
that  they  be  preserved  in  the  same  manner  as  cuttings  are 
until  required  for  use.  The  principal  benefit  to  be  derived 
from  ingrafting,  is  to  transform  a  vineyard  in  a  short  space  of 
time  which  contains  many  varieties  into  one,  containing  as  few 
as  may  be  deemed  advantageous,  or  to  entirely  or  partially 
change  a  vineyard,  when  the  varieties  contained  in  it  are 


"256  INGRAFTING  VINES. 

deemed  unsuitable  or  of  little  value.  It  also  is  the  means  of 
furnishing  a  prompt  supply  of  exceedingly  fine  cuttings  to  be 
used  for  that  mode  of  culture.  Another  advantage  offered 
is,  that  the  common  wild  vines  of  large  size  found  in  our  woods 
and  hedges,  can  either  by  being  ingrafted  in  their  respective 
positions,  or  by  being  transplanted  into  gardens  for  that  pur- 
pose, afford  the  means  for  a  prompt  and  abundant  supply  of 
fruit.  Indeed  the  facilities  offered  by  this  process  are  such 
that  no  vine  of  indifferent  quality  need  hereafter  to  be  de- 
stroyed on  that  account,  as  it  may  be  so  readily  converted  to 
one  of  the  most  choice  description.  The  graft  should  in  pre- 
ference have  sufficient  of  the  two  years  old  wood  to  form  the 
tongue  which  is  inserted  in  the  stock,  with  one  or  two  joints 
of  the  one  year  old  wood  to  rise  above  the  stock  ;  but  when 
shoots  of  the  last  year  have  formed  vigorous  and  well  ripened 
wood,  they  will  answer  the  purpose.  I  think  two  buds  or 
eyes  quite  sufficient  for  a  graft,  and  in  general,  more  advan- 
tageous than  a  greater  number ;  but  where  the  stock  is  of 
extraordinary  size,  three  buds  may  be  allowed  ;  the  best  size 
for  a  graft  is  that  of  an  ordinary  cutting,  but  where  the  stocks 
are  exceedingly  large,  I  think  it  desirable  that  the  grafts  should 
be  larger  than  usual.  The  best  stocks  are  such  as  are  about 
an  inch  in  diameter,  but  those  of  all  dimensions  can  be  used  for 
the  purpose.  Dry  weather  is  the  most  suitable  for  the  opera- 
tion, and  the  period  generally  selected  for  its  performance  in 
this  latitude,  is  from  the  first  to  the  tenth  of  April,  although  it 
has  been  effected  successfully  at  a  much  later  period,  and  in 
some  cases  even  after  the  vine  was  in  full  leaf,  where  the  scions 
were  sufficiently  retarded.  In  the  southern  states  it  should 
take  place  early  in  March  or  even  sooner  in  some  parts.  A 
decided  advantage  is  gained  by  its  early  execution,  which  is 
equivalent  to  a  gain  in  the  length  of  the  season,  and  therefore 
allows  time  for  greater  growth. 

The  most  common  method  pursued  is  cleft  grafting,  which 
does  not  essentially  differ  from  ingrafting  apple  and  other  trees 
on  the  same  principle.  The  usual  course  is  to  lay  the  stock 
bare,  by  clearing  away  four  to  six  inches  of  the  ground,  or  aa 


., 

INGRAFTING  VINES.  257 

far  as  where  the  .first  roots  appear,  at  which  point  it  must  be 
sawed  off,  and  the  surface  made  perfectly  smooth.  The  stock 
is  then  to  be  carefully  split  with  a  strong  knife  or  other  in- 
strument calculated  for  the  purpose,  and  if  necessary,  a  sharp 
wedge  may  be  used  to  open  the  incision  until  the  graft  is  in- 
serted, which  on  being  withdrawn,  will  leave  the  scion  firmly 
retained  in  its  position  by  the  pressure  of  the  stock.  Where 
the  vines  are  very  large,  two  scions  may  be  inserted,  and  if 
both  succeed,  one  may  be  pruned  off,  or  trained  so  as  to  di- 
verge as  much  as  possible  from  the  other.  It  will  readily  be 
perceived,  that  the  graft  before  insertion  must  be  made  of  a 
wedge  shape  to  suit  the  incision,  and  the  tongue  or  slope  should 
be  from  three  to  four  inches  in  length.  Vines  thus  ingrafted 
do  not  require  clay  or  composition  of  any  kind,  but  only  to 
raise  the  earth  over  the  stock  and  around  the  graft,  so  as  to 
leave  the  uppermost  bud  even  with  the  surface,  after  which 
nothing  more  need  be  done  than  to  give  them  moderate  water- 
ings occasionally  during  dry  weather. 

The  buds  will  expand  in  about  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks, 
one  only  of  which  is  usually  allowed  to  grow,  and  this  as  it 
advances  should  be  carefully  trained  to  a  pole,  stake,  or  other 
support,  and  the  superfluous  lateral  shoots  be  pruned  or  rub- 
bed off.  With  proper  attention,  and  in  rich  soil,  they  will 
grow  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  according  to  the  variety,  and 
in  all  ordinary  cases  fruit  will  be  produced  the  first  season, 
though  this  may  rather  be  deemed  a  disadvantage,  and  should 
not  be  allowed  except  where  it  is  particularly  desired  to  test 
its  character,  as  it  serves  to  weaken  the  plant.  Robert  Sin- 
clair, Esq.  of  Baltimore,  ingrafted  some  scions  of  the  Isabella 
on  the  Chicken  grape,  during  the  season  of  1829,  one  of 
which  grew  twelve  feet,  and  the  other  nine,  and  the  lateral 
shoots  on  the  two  measured  thirty  feet.  Another  mode  which 
comes  under  the  head  of  pivot  grafting,  and  which  may  be 
adopted  where  the  stock  is  too  large  to  be  cleft,  is  to  saw  off 
the  vine  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground,  then  to  bore  a  hole 
in  the  centre  with  a  sharp  gimblet  or  some  other  instrument 
calculated  to  cut  smoothly,  and  to  proportion  the  place  for 

33 


258 


INGRAFTING  VINES. 


insertion  somewhat  to  the  size  of  the  graft,  next  trim  the  scion 
into  a  pivot  form  with  a  rounded  point,  so  as  to  fit  the  hole, 
leaving  a  slight  shoulder  of  bark  on  one  side,  and  press  or 
drive  it  gently  into  its  position,  the  earth  must  then  be  raised 
around  it  in  the  same  manner  as  before  prescribed. 

Some  operators,  apply  clay  or  composition  to  cover  the 
place  of  junction,  while  others  deem  it  of  no  importance,  as 
the  earth  serves  to  exclude  the  air.  In  many  cases  this  method 
has  been  particularly  successful,  and  some  shoots  have  grown 
from  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  the  first  season,  and  produced  from 
twelve  to  twenty-five  clusters  of  fruit.  Some  persons  state, 
that  where  the  stock  has  been  very  large,  they  have  attained 
equal  success,  by  boring  two  or  more  holes  in  different  parts 
of  the  wood  indiscriminately,  and  inserting  a  scion  in  each, 
which  grew  in  this  manner  as  well  as  by  any  other  course. 
In  some  cases  the  stocks  have  been  removed  from  the  woods 
to  the  garden  at  the  period  of  ingrafting  ;  and  Mr.  Herbemont, 
of  South  Carolina,  states,  that  he  has  dug  up  vines  in  the  woods 
in  April,  even  after  they  had  begun  to  grow  and  had  leaves 
formed,  which  he  carefully  ingrafted  and  replanted,  and  that 
several  of  these  produced  ripe  fruit  the  same  season.  Mr.  H. 
has  been  also  particularly  successful  in  using  the  Isabella  vine 
for  stocks,  and  has  ingrafted  several  hundred  of  them  with  his 
fine  Madeira  grape,  (which  is  the  same  as  the  Warren  or  War- 
renton,)  many  of  which  produced  fruit  the  same  year,  and  at- 
tained a  length  of  from  twelve  to  twenty,  and  even  thirty  feet 
with  a  proportionate  thickness.  In  one  case  he  has  had  a 
single  vine  to  grow  in  four  months,  so  as  to  cover  an  arbour 
seven  feet  high,  and  about  ten  feet  square. 

The  skill  of  Mr.  Herbemont  has  even  turned  the  advan^ 
tages  offered  to  a  new  account,  and  instead  of  pruning  off  the 
lower  branches,  he  has  layered  them  the  first  summer  with 
success,  thereby  having  layers  in  the  fall,  made  during  the 
summer,  from  grafts  inserted  in  the  spring.  So  very  speedy 
3.  course  however  may  be  more  readily  consummated  in  the 
southern  states,  than  in  this  section  of  the  Union,  and  layers 
made  the  second  summer  from  wood  of  a  year  old,  are  much 
to  be  preferred. 


INGRAFTING  VINES.  259 

A  correspondent  in  Massachusetts  writes  me,  that  he  has 
pursued  split  grafting  with  great  success  by  using  composi- 
tion which  he  greatly  prefers  to  clay,  this  he  puts  on  warm, 
and  ties  over  it  a  piece  of  bass  very  tight.  Grafts  set  after 
this  method  into  strong  stocks  of  the  Black  Cluster  grape, 
about  the  first  of  April  1829,  grew  fourteen  feet  the  same  sea- 
son, and  made  strong  wood :  he  thinks  ingrafting  may  be 
safely  performed  in  that  State  as  late  as  the  first  of  May. 
A  friend  in  the  island  of  Cuba,  also  advises  me  of  his  having 
been  very  successful  in  grafting  many  fine  French  varieties 
on  wild  vines  of  that  island,  which  are  there  found  in  abun- 
dance, and  thinks  this  may  perhaps  form  a  new  era  in  the  cul- 
ture of  the  vine  in  tropical  climates.  In  the  autumn,  the  in- 
grafted vines  should  be  treated  the  same  as  others  of  equal 
size  and  vigour,  and  be  pruned  accordingly,  the  weaker  ones 
may  be  cut  down  to  a  few  eyes  only,  and  the  larger  ones  be 
left  of  a  length  proportionate  to  their  strength.  They  never 
fail  to  produce  well  the  second  year,  and  where  the  stocks  are 
very  vigorous,  and  the  variety  inserted  on  them  is  of  the 
same  character,  they  attain  to  a  most  rapid  and  extraordinary 
developement.  It  is  asserted  that  grafts,  particularly  where 
the  white  are  engrafted  on  the  black  varieties,  are  apt  to  die 
in  eight  or  ten  years,  when  apparently  in  full  vigour,  and 
where  the  wood  is  perfectly  united  ;  but  this  misfortune  may 
not  perhaps  be  without  causes  and  exceptions,  which  a  skilful 
culture  may  discover  and  avert.  I  think  the  insertion  of  the 
graft  so  low,  that  it  may  form  roots  from  its  own  wood,  is 
calculated  in  some  degree  to  obviate  the  difficulty,  and  this 
can  in  most  cases  be  accomplished. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  add,  that  all  tales  about  ingrafting 
the  vine  upon  the  cherry  and  other  trees,  are  alike  fabulous 
with  those  of  ingrafting  the  peach  on  the  willow,  the  rose  on 
the  currant,  and  other  similar  accounts.  Equally  erroneous 
do  I  deem  the  remarks  that  the  stock  of  the  vine  has  a  greater 
influence  upon  the  graft  than  results  from  a  similar  opera- 
tion performed  on  other  species  of  fruit ;  but  that  such  in- 
fluence does  exist  in  many  and  perhaps  all  cases  to  a  certain 


260  VINEYARDS  ON  HILLS  AND  DECLIVITIES. 

degree,  I  think  I  have  sufficiently  shown  in  a  communication 
recently  addressed  to  Dr.  James  Mease,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
which  I  shall  shortly  make  known  to  the  public. 

Upon  small  stocks  which  are  about  the  size  or  but  little 
larger  than  the  scion,  whip  or  tongue  grafting  is  found  to  be 
preferable.  Another  method  well  calculated  to  ensure  success, 
is  ingrafting  by  approach,  which  is  performed  in  the  same 
manner  on  vines  as  on  fruit  trees. 

Vineyards  on  Hills  and  Declivities. 

Vines  in  France  are  rarely  planted  on  the  surface  of  the 
soil,  but  in  trenches  differing  both  in  breadth  and  depth,  some- 
times regular,  parallel  and  longitudinal,  running  from  one 
en4  of  the  ground  to  the  other,  or  transversal,  and  perpen- 
dicular for  the  length  of  the  piece  of  ground.  There  are  a 
great  number  of  vineyards  in  France  where  the  vines  are  na- 
turally or  by  art,  disposed  in  terraces  rising  one  above  the 
other.  Lasteyrie  has  figured  in  the  second  volume  of  his 
work,  entitled  Collection  of  devices  adopted  in  Agriculture, 
a  hill  of  Catalonia  which  is  completely  arranged  in'terraces 
for  the  culture  of  vines.  This  being  considered  the  most 
preferable  mode,  I  will  give  explanations  hereafter  in  what 
manner  they  may  be  formed  with  little  expense  by  the  means 
of  transverse  walls.  Many  vineyards  which  are  located  on 
steep  hills  or  mountains,  have  a  wall  of  stones  placed  along 
the  lower  side  of  each  row,  to  keep  the  soil  from  washing ; 
this  is  ah  essential  point,  and  where  vineyards  are  so  located, 
must  be  considered  a  necessary  part  of  the  first  cost  of  a  pro- 
per preparation ;  and  it  is  a  general  remark,  that  the  more 
stones  in  a  vineyard  the  better,  provided  they  are  not  a  pre- 
ventive to  suitable  culture.  If  stones  are  not  to  be  had  for 
the  above  named  purpose,  logs  of  wood  might  be  used.  It  is 
much  to  be  preferred  however,  that  vineyards  on  hills  and  de- 
clivities should  be  divided  by  terraces,  made  nearer  to  each 
other  in  proportion  to  the  steepness,  and  these  not  formed  by 
walls  as  is  often  the  case,  but  by  low  hedges  which  prevent 
the  earth  from  being  carried  off  by  ordinary  rains,  without 


. 

VINEYARDS  ON  HILLS  AND  DECLIVITIES.  261 

any  danger  of  their  being  swept  away  themselves  by  streams 
of  water  during  severe  storms,  as  the  numerous  roots  form  a 
support  for  them  against  such  effects. 

The  arrangement  of  the  vines  differs  also  on  great  declivities 
from  that  on  other  locations,  not  being  ranged  in  straight  lines, 
but  planted  in  curves  or  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre.  And 
in  order  to  equalize  the  maturity  of  the  crops  where  several  va- 
rieties are  to  be  planted  in  the  same  vineyard,  the  earlier  kinds 
should  be  planted  in  the  most  elevated  parts,  and  the  later 
ones  in  the  middle  ranges. 

The  Domestic  Encyclopedia  contains  the  following  directions 
in  regard  to  vineyards  planted  on  declivities  : — "  To  prevent 
your  hills  where  they  are  steep,  from  being  washed  away  by 
showers  of  rain,  I  would  recommend  short  straw  mixed  with 
chaff,  the  shives  of  flax  and  hemp,  the  chaff  of  flax  seed  which 
is  also  an  excellent  manure,  old  half  rotten  salt  hay  or  bog 
hay,  free  from  grass  seeds,  which  should  be  spread  thin  be- 
tween the  rows  ;  if  it  be  spread  thick  it  keeps  the  ground  too 
long  cold  and  wet  in  spring,  which  retards  the  growth  of  the 
vines.  The  use  of  these  I  have  experienced  to  be  profitable, 
and  very  much  to  hinder  the  soil  from  washing.  The  follow- 
ing method  has  also  been  found  very  effectual,  without  doing 
injury  to  either  the  vines  or  the  crop  : — After  the  ground  has 
been  made  loose  and  mellow,  lay  broad  flat  stones  close  along 
the  lower  side  of  the  vines,  these  not  being  very  heavy  do  not 
pack  the  ground  too  close,  nor  press  hard  upon  roots  of  the 
vines  ;  they  reflect  great  heat  up  to  the  vine  and  fruit,  which 
helps  to  bring  it  to  full  maturity,  they  preserve  the  soil  against 
washing  away,  they  keep  the  ground  moist  in  the  driest  times, 
and  hinder  too  much  rain  from  penetrating  the  roots  near  the 
head  of  the  vine,  which  chiefly  occasions  the  bursting  of  the 
grapes  after  a  shower  of  rain,  when  they  are  near  ripe." 

The  effect  of  elevation  upon  the  geography  of  plants  merits 
our  particular  consideration  by  its  influence  on  the  vine.  In 
Europe  they  generally  reckon  that  a  degree  of  latitude  af- 
fects the  mean  temperature  nearly  in  the  proportion  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  or  two  hundred  yards  of  elevation,  or  vice 


262  PLANTING  TREES,  ECT.  IN  VINEYARBS. 

versa :  it  is  also  the  generally  received  opinion  that  where  maize 
comes  to  perfection,  the  vine  will  succeed  ;  but  in  France  and 
other  countries  the  culture  of  the  latter  has  been  successfully 
extended  much  further  north  than  the  former.  De  Candolle 
remarks,  that  the  most  elevated  point  at  which  he  has  found 
maize  grown  as  a  crop,  is  in  the  department  of  the  Lower 
Pyrenees,  above  the  village  of  Lescans,  at  about  the  elevation 
of  one  thousand  yards.  Now  if  we  take  our  departure  from 
that  point  which  is  in  the  43°  of  latitude,  and  proceed  five 
degrees  upon  the  same  meridian  line,*  we  come  to  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Mans,  and  to  the  south  of  the  department  of 
Ille  and  Vilaine,  which  is  precisely  the  northernmost  point 
where  maize  is  sown  as  a  crop. 

The  vines  of  Velai,  says  M.  De  Candolle,  are  those  which  are 
at  the  greatest  elevation  of  any  I  have  seen  in  France,  culti- 
vated as  vineyards.  The^  elevation  of  the  town  of  Puy  is 
computed  at  six  hundred  and  thirty-two  yards,  and  the  vine- 
yards that  belong  to  it  go  up  to  about  eight  hundred.  Now 
if  setting  out  from  that  point,  which  is  a  little  beyond  45°  of 
lat.  you  take  four  degrees  to  the  north  upon  the  same  meri- 
dian, you  come  to  a  stop  between  Rheims  and  Epernai,  that 
is  to  say,  very  close  upon  the  northernmost  limit  at  which  the 
vine  forms  a  branch  of  husbandry,  the  town  of  Rheims  being 
in  lat.  49°  30'. 


Planting  Trees,  <$fc.  in  Vineyards — Hedges  to  protect  them. 

The  custom  adopted  in  some  wine  districts  of  planting  trees 
in  the  vineyards,  such  as  the  peach,  apple,  olive,  nut,  and 
cherry,  is  very  improper,  for  as  the  direct  action  of  the  sun  is 
the  main  essential,  in  order  to  mature  the  high  qualities  of  the 
grape,  the  effects  of  this  powerful  agent  should  be  in  no  wise 
counteracted,  and  every  tree  therefore  that  can  interpose  a 
shade  and  shut  out  its  rays,  at  the  same  time  that  it  exhausts 

*  I  say  upon  the  same  meridian  line,  because  it  is  well  known  that  in  the 
same  latitudes  there  exists  a  great  difference  between  the  east  and  west  of 
France. 


PLANTING  TREES,  ETC.  IN  VINEYARDS.  263 

the  soil,  should  be  cleared  away.  It  is  true,  that  in  the  year 
1797,  the  French  vineyards  in  the  departments  of  L'Yonne, 
and  Cote-d'or,  that  were  not  sheltered  by  trees,  had  their  vines 
frozen,  but  the  principle  notwithstanding  this  exception,  is  strict- 
ly correct,  and  without  particular  attention  the  grapes  where  so 
situated  will  not  attain  that  ripeness  and  maturity  of  the  sac- 
charine properties  which  constitutes  their  chief  value.  The  best 
French  authors  however  state,  that  although  trees  and  hedges 
are  injurious  to  vineyards,  when  so  close  as  to  come  in  con- 
tact with  the  vines,  and  to  shade  them  or  cause  a  greater  de- 
gree of  humidity,  still  hedges  are  of  great  advantage  when 
planted  at  a  short  distance,  and  in  such  directions  as  to  shelter 
the  vineyards  from  the  cold  east  and  north  winds,  and  from 
the  moist  west  winds. 

Trees  being  acknowledged  as  injurious  when  planted  in 
vineyards,  are  not  other  vegetable  productions  likewise  objec- 
tionable ?  When  the  vines  «re  reared  in  nurseries,  all  kinds 
of  vegetables  are  very  injurious,  by  drawing  from  the  earth  a 
portion  of  its  nutritious  qualities,  and  it  follows,  of  course, 
that  they  are  so  in  vineyards,  in  proportion  as  they  are  cul- 
culated  to  drain  the  soil.  Of  this  character  are  the  different 
species  of  grain,  also  turnips,  potatoes,  peas,  beans,  cabbage, 
&c.  Lupins  and  lentiles  however  are  said  to  be  no  wise  in- 
jurious. A  young  vineyard  is  injured  more  by  cultivating 
other  vegetables  in  it  than  an  old  one,  because  the  roots  spread 
through  a  less  proportion  of  the  ground,  and  therefore  have 
less  means  of  support,  and  the  progress  of  new  plantations  is 
exceedingly  impeded  by  pursuing  this  course.  It  is  therefore 
preferable  that  nothing  be  introduced  that  can  in  any  degree 
lessen  the  strength  and  richness  of  the  soil. 

Berneaud  recommends  that  the  rows  be  made  four  and  a  half 
feet  apart,  and  the  vines  planted  ten  feet  from  each  other  in 
the  rows.  He  also  recommends,  and  it  seems  very  con- 
sistent with  good  policy,  that  the  vines  be  placed  opposite  in 
every  second  row,  so  that  those  in  the  intervening  ones  be  op- 
posite the  centre  of  the  intermediate  space  between  the  vines  of 
the  other  ranges  ;  a  plan  of  arrangement  often  adopted  among 
us  with  plantations  of  other  descriptions. 


264  PROPPING  AND  TRAINING. 

Illf-      *.  *  ,,  ;J,i  '•   -^Si^ 

Propping  and  training. 

In  a  great  number  of  vineyards, '  especially  those  of  the 
north  of  France,  they  place  in  the  ground  near  the  stem  of 
each  vine,  a  pole  or  stake  to  which  the  shoots  are  tied  by 
means  of  bands  of  straw,  bass,  rushes,  or  branches  of  the  osier 
or  willow.  This  practice  is  considered  by  them  as  indispen- 
sable, but  nevertheless  there  are  some  who  do  not  pursue  it. 
The  advantage  of  these  poles  is,  that  the  grapes  are  better 
exposed  to  the  benign  influence  of  the  solar  rays,  and  that  a 
greater  number  of  vines  can  be  placed  on  a  certain  space  of 
ground. 

The  principal  difficulty  which  the  French  find  in  this  course 
is,  that  it  increases  the  expense  in  consequence  of  the  high 
price  at  which  the  poles  are  sold,  the  labour  necessary  for 
sharpening  them,  and  for  placing  and  displacing  them ;  also 
in  restraining  and  straitening  the  shoots,  which  are  naturally 
bent,  so  as  to  favour  the  direct  ascension  of  the  sap.  Not- 
withstanding the  decided  preference  eatertained  for  training 
the  vines  on  poles,  various  methods  are  proposed  by  French 
writers  as  substitutes  for  this  practice,  on  account  of  the  enor- 
mous quantity  of  wood  which  is  required,  and  the  rapid  dimi- 
nution of  the  forests  in  that  country ;  but  as  we  labour  under 
no  apprehensions  from  such  deficiency,  we  shall  of  course  pursue 
that  practice.  In  the  vineyards  in  the  environs  of  Rochelle, 
and  on  the  declivities  near  the  town  of  Argence,  department 
of  Calvados,  no  poles  are  used,  and  the  branches  trail  on  the 
ground  until  the  grapes  are  nearly  ripe,  they  are  then  all 
raised  up  and  tied  together  at  the  top,  and  thus  form  their  own 
support ;  the  fruit  being  outwards  is  by  this  course  exposed  to 
the  sun,  but  the  crops  are  inferior  and  deficient. 

In  some  French  vineyards  where  the  vines  are  of  a  very 
vigorous  character,  two  poles  or  stakes  are  used  for  each, 
and  twice  the  quantity  of  wood  allowed  to  the  vines,  and  in 
others,  several  slender  poles  are  stuck  into  the  ground  around 
the  vine  in  a  circular  manner,  to  each  of  which  a  shoot  is  train- 
ed or  fastened ;  but  in  such  cases  a  proportionably  greater 


PROPPING  AND  TRAINING. 


2G5 


distance  must  be  allowed  between  the  vines  when  the  planta- 
tions are  formed. 

The  proper  period  for  poling  the  vineyards,  is  immediately 
after  the  first  spring  cleaning,  before  the  vines  commence 
growing,  sometimes  however  it  is  done  after  the  second  clean- 
ing, at  which  time  the  shoots  have  acquired  a  part  of  their 
growth.  They  should  be  put  deep  in  the  earth  in  order  that 
they  may  not  be  blown  down  by  the  winds,  and  great  care 
must  be  taken  during  the  operation,  not  to  injure  the  roots, 
nor  break  the  buds  of  the  vines.  In  France,  the  trees  used 
for  poles  are  principally  the  pine,  the  fir,  the  tree  box,  and  oak 
and  chesnut  split  up  ;  willow,  poplar,  and  other  trees  whose 
branches  are  prompt  to  vegetate  should  not  be  used  for  poles. 
The  posts  and  poles  should  each  have  the  end  that  goes  into 
the  ground  well  covered  with  melted  pitch.  Col.  Gibbs  in- 
forms me,  he  has  found  universally,  that  poles  were  Better  than 
trellices ;  indeed  in  vineyard  or  field  culture,  this  method  of  sup- 
porting the  vines  will  almost  necessarily  be  adopted,  as  well  on 
account  of  the  advantages  it  offers,  as  the  increased  expense 
that  the  use  of  trellices  would  create.  However,  those  that 
prefer  that  species  of  culture  as  generally  pursued,  will  find  the 
subject  discussed  hereafter,  under  the  head  of  "  Garden  culture." 

The  colder  the  climate,  the  lower  the  vines  should  be 
trained,  in  order  that  the  grapes  may  ripen  better,  because  ex- 
perience teaches  us,  that  those  which  are  a  short  distance 
from  the  earth,  profiting  from  the  shelter  which  is  afforded, 
and  from  the  caloric  which  emanates  from  it  during  the  night 
whenever  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  diminishes,  ac- 
quire a  superior  quality. 

When  vineyards  are  located  on  steep  hills,  the  Tines  can 
be  trained  higher,  because  the  grapes  profit  from  the  reverber- 
ation of  the  sun  by  the  earth,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  planted 
against  a  wall.  The  operation  of  tying  the  shoots  is  omitted 
in  the  greater  portion  of  the  south  of  France,  while  in  the 
northern  departments  it  is  deemed  of  the  utmost  importance. 
Where  a  great  desire  exists  for  economizing,  a  discrimination 
may  be  made  between  the  vines  of  stronger  and  those  qf  weak- 

34 


266  LOW  TRAINING. 

1 


er  growth,  but  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  such  parsimony.  The 
most  suitable  time  for  tying  is  just  after  the  flowering  is  over, 
the  young  shoots  have  then  attained  a  considerable  growth, 
and  being  weak  require  to  be  protected  against  the  effects  of 
winds,  which  are  apt  to  break  them  entirely  off  if  not  thus  pro- 
tected. In  the  operation  particular  care  should  be  taken  not 
to  interfere  with  the  clusters  of  fruit,  and  the  branches  should 
be  separated  as  much  as  is  convenient  or  consistent. 

It  has  been  observed  that  the  vines  of  our  co«ntry  when  in 
their  natural  state,  seldom  or  never  throw  out  bearing  shoots, 
until  they  reach  a  lofty  position  near  the  tops  of  the  trees 
on  which  they  ascend,  when  the  branches  assume  a  horizontal 
or  descending  inclination.  From  this  fact  horizontal  training 
has  been  deemed  preferable  to  that  in  an  oblique  direction  or 
fan  form.  Dr.  G.  W.  Chapman,  of  New-York,  states  that  by 
experiments  he  has  made,  he  finds  that  the  shoots  coming 
from  those  branches  bent  downwards  are  more  productive  than 
from  the  ascending  ones. 

From  a  due  consideration  of  all  the  attendant  circumstances, 
it  seems  necessary  that  we  should  adopt  in  the  training  and 
consequent  pruning  of  our  native  vines,  some  principles  of 
operation  different  from  those  usually  applied  to  foreign  ones, 
it  being  a  necessary  requirement  resulting  from  the  great  dis- 
tinction in  character,  as  the  methods  pursued  most  success- 
fully with  the  one,  would  doubtless  often  prove  inappropriate 
and  perhaps  highly  injurious  to  the  other. 


Low  training. 

The  practice  of  low  training  was  first  pursued  by  the 
Greeks,  and  was  introduced  by  the  Phocian  colony  into  the 
district  of  Marseilles.  The  knowledge  of  it  has  been  spread 
with  the  culture  of  the  vine  far  to  the  north  where  it  has  been 
generally  adopted,  and  is  esteemed  the  most  easy  and  advan- 
tageous for  cold  latitudes.  Various  modifications  have  how- 
ever been  introduced,  and  the  height  to  which  the  vines  are 
trained  varies  from  one  to  five  feet. 

In  Medoc,  and  also  in  the  environs  of  Grenoble,  Lyons, 
Orleans,  Autun,  and  even  in  some  vineyards  of  Rheims,  and 


HIGH  TRAINING. 


267 


Laon,  the  vines  are  attached  to  low  stakes  or  trellices  raised 
only  about  a  foot  above  the  ground.  In  the  departments  of 
Bouches-du-Rhone,  Aube,  Gard,  Herault,  and  in  fact  in  most 
of  the  southern  departments,  the  stocks  are  very  wide  apart, 
and  are  allowed  to  be  but  two  feet  in  height,  and  the  fruit 
branches  are  trained  along  at  about  the  same  elevation.  In 
some  vineyards  the  stocks  are  very  short,  and  so  strong  that 
they  support  themselves,  and  the  young  shoots  rise  from  them 
and  fall  over  to  the  earth.  In  other  districts  the  vines  are  left 
entirely  to  trail  on  the  ground,  but  the  wines,  as  has  been  al- 
ready stated,  are  in  such  cases  inferior  and  the  crops  much  less. 
In  the  young  vineyards  near  Bordeaux,  Angers,  Lyons,  &tc. 
where  the  plants  were  formerly  left  unsupported,  they  have 
adopted  the  use  of  props  on  account  of  the  great  vigour  and 
length  of  the  shoots. 

High  training. 

In  adopting  the  practice  of  high  training  according  to  either 
of  the  modes  in  use,  it  is  requisite  that  the  varieties  selected 
as  well  as  the  plants  themselves  be  of  a  vigorous  character,  and 
that  the  soil  be  rich  and  capable  of  supporting  the  additional 
growth  required.  At  the  commencement  of  this  species  of 
culture,  the  strongest  shoot  only  is  left  to  each  vine  at  the 
first  pruning  with  about  a  foot  of  the  new  wood,  and  all  the 
buds  or  eyes  except  the  two  uppermost  are  rubbed  off  and  de- 
stroyed. At  each  subsequent  pruning  one  additional  branch 
is  left  with  two  eyes  to  each  until  the  fourth  pruning,  when 
four  or  five  shoots  may  be  left,  the  vine  having  attained  the 
desired  height.  If  the  soil  is  not  highly  favourable  you  must 
in  succeeding  years  adopt  the  same  system  of  pruning  as  pre- 
scribed for  short  pruned  vines,  but  if  it  is  of  excellent  quality, 
and  the  other  circumstances  also  favourable,  you  may  leave 
two  or  three  shoots  of  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches  in  length, 
with  all  their  eyes  upon  them,  which  must  be  curved  or  bent 
over  and  tied  with  the  ends  downwards  to  the  several  props. 

High  trained  vines  are  less  subject  to  injury  by  frost  and 
produce  more  fruit,  but  the  wine  made  from  them  is  in  general 


268 


SAUTELLES  OR  PLEYONS. 


inferior  to  that  from  low  trained  vineyards.  High  vines  are 
also  more  expensive  as  they  need  taller  props,  and  require  at 
least  three  to  each  plant,  one  of  which  must  be  near  the 
main  stock,  and  the  others  at  convenient  distances,  the  stem 
and  branches  must  be  tied  with  strong  twigs  of  osier,  as  from 
the  quantity  of  fruit  they  will  require  to  be  well  supported. 

Sautelles,  or  Pleyons. 

The  culture  by  sautelles  is  allied  to  the  preceding,  and  is 
principally  in  use  in  vineyards  where  the  greatest  desire  is 
quantity.  Jn-this  case  the  branches  are  left  nearly  their  whole 
length,  and  after  being  inclined  or  bent  in  the  form  of  a  bow 
are  attached  to  poles  with  the  end  downwards,  and  a  twist 
given  to  each  where  the  bend  commences,  in  order  to  impede 
the  passage  of  the  sap,  which  might  otherwise  flow  too  rapidly 
and  run  to  leaves. 

At  the  time  this  operation  is  performed,  a  new  shoot  is  left 
to  grow,  which  causes  the  root  to  suffer  but  little,  because  this 
shoot  no  more  than  makes  up  for  the  feebleness  of  the  vege- 
tation of  the  main  branch.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  if  the 
long  branches  are  not  soon  bent,  the  produce  instead  of  being 
great,  will  be  but  small,  for  the  sap  rising  with  rapidity, 
bursts  the  wood-buds  which  are  the  most  elevated,  and  only 
glides  by  the  fruit-buds  which  are  the  lowest,  whose  fruition  is 
often  entirely  destroyed  when  the  shoot  is  very  vigorous,  or 
the  season  moist  and  hot.  Vines  planted  on  arid  soils  will 
not  always  support  this  species  of  culture,  the  same  has  been 
remarked  of  the  feeble  varieties  from  their  nature  itself.  In 
some  vineyards  near  Paris,  and  elsewhere,  they  bury  the  ends 
of  the  sautelles  in  the  earth  the  spring  after  their  crop  has 
been  produced,  and  form  layers  from  them  that  are  cut  off  the 
following  winter,  which  practice  is  recommended. 

In  Orleans,  sautelles  are  often  left  two  or  three  years,  which 
is  very  injurious  to  the  crops,  as  in  such  case  the  branches  and 
berries  become  small.  This  method  of  pruning  and  training 
may  be  adopted  for  covering  bowers  and  arbours,  where  it  is 
requisite  the  shoots  should  be  of  considerable  length. 


PYRAMIDAL  OR  CONICAL  TRAINING.  269 

Afn  Tranche  Compte  another  mode  is  pursued.  No  stakes 
are  placed  at  the  sides  of  the  vines,  but  short  props  are  set  in 
the  ground  which  have  forks  at  about  two  feet  from  the  earth, 
across  which  poles  are  laid  on  which  short  stumps  have  been 
left  at  about  a  foot  from  each  other.  In  some  cases  these 
poles  are  rested  in  the  forks  of  old  vines.  The  main  branches 
are  then  trained  along  on  them  from  which  the  new  shoots 
spread  in  every  direction,  and  the  vineyard  seems  covered 
with  foliage  while  clusters  of  fruit  hang  beneath  in  the  shade. 
The  labourers  have  to  creep  under  in  order  to  destroy  the 
weeds,  which  are  less  numerous  however  on  account  of  being 
overhung  by  the  vines.  This  manner  of  training  is  extremely 
inappropriate  in  the  colder  latitudes,  and  can  only  be  found 
useful  in  very  warm  localities,  for  the  sun  being  shut  out  from 
the  fruit,  cannot  perfect  the  high  vinous  properties  which  con- 
stitute almost  the  sole  value  of  the  crops. 

Pyramidal  or  conical  training. 

This  mode  pursued  in  many  German  vineyards  has  been 
also  adopted  in  a  number  of  French  ones,  from  a  desire  of  ob- 
taining large  crops  with  less  uncertainty,  labour,  and  expense. 
In  planting  vineyards  for  this  object,  the  only  difference  to  be 
observed  is,  that  the  rows  be  eight  feet  apart,  and  the  vines 
set  out  at  the  same  distance  checkerwise  in  the  rows. 

The  first  operation  in  giving  form  to  the  vines  takes  place 
at  the  second  annual  pruning  in  autumn  or  spring,  when  two 
shoots  should  be  left,  one  with  five,  and  the  other  with  six  eyes. 
In  the  spring  of  the  third  season,  strong  posts  nine  feet  high 
and  six  inches  in  diameter,  are  to  be  placed  in  regular  rows, 
one  to  each  vine,  around  which  the  two  shoots  are  to  be  trained 
spirally  in  the  same  direction,  with  a  space  of  about  four 
inches  between  each  turn.  The  branches  are  regularly  tied, 
and  the  main  shoots  when  they  have  attained  a  suitable  height 
are  topped.  A  small  crop  of  fruit  will  be  produced  this  season, 
and  at  the  annual  pruning  the  two  highest  shoots  are  treated 
as  before,  and  the  lateral  branches  called  side  runners,  which 
are  intended  to  fill  up  the  pyramid,  are  cut  down  to  three  buds 
each. 


270  PYRAMIDAL  OR  CONICAL  TRAINING, 

The  ensuing  year  which  is  the  fourth,  the  vines  will  begin 
to  exhibit  the  pyramidal  form,  and  may  be  made  triangular, 
quadrangular,  or  hexangular  at  the  option  of  the  cultivator, 
but  a  circular  form  is  generally  preferred  as  most  convenient. 
The  training  of  the  two  principal  branches  is  continued  as 
before,  in  a  spiral  direction  ;  and  when  the  berries  are  formed 
all  the  shoots  from  the  side  runners  are  shortened  to  six  eyes> 
which  in  addition  to  giving  them  strength,  facilitates  the  cir- 
culation of  air :  the  loftiest  shoots  must  also  be  tied  and  topped 
as  in  previous  years. 

This  season  a  crop  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  bunches  will  be 
produced  by  each  vine,  which  is  as  much  as  ordinary  vines 
do  when  at  full  size  ;  although  these  will  not  then  have  acquir- 
ed more  than  one  fourth  of  the  height  and  breadth  they  are 
intended  to  attain.  In  the  spring  of  the  fifth  year,  as  that  sea- 
son is  usually  selected  for  the  operation  in  cold  climates,  the 
two  upper  shoots  are  pruned  and  trained  as  heretofore,  and 
particular  care  taken  to  tie  the  different  branches  before  vege- 
tation commences,  the  last  year's  shoots  on  the  side  runners 
are  then  cut  down,  the  strongest  to  four  buds,  and  the  weaker 
to  one  and  two  buds  ;  and  when  the  fruit  has  again  formed, 
they  are  topped  and  shortened  as  before.  A  crop  of  thirty 
to  sixty  bunches  is  generally  produced  from  each  vine  this 
season.  The  same  course  of  pruning  and  training  is  pursued 
the  seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  years,  until  the  spiral  shoots  have 
reached  the  top  of  the  post,  after  which  all  that  rise  above  it 
are  pruned  off  every  spring,  and  the  lateral  shoots  are  allowed 
rather  more  length.  During  these  years  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  clusters  will  be  produced  by  each  vine. 

In  the  after  management,  there  need  be  no  fear  of  allowing 
too  great  an  extent  to  the  circumference,  and  if  it  is  desired 
to  continue  the  shape,  the  pruning  and  clipping  can  always  be 
executed  in  accordance  thereto,  proportioning  those  operations 
in  all  cases,  to  the  strength  and  vigour  of  the  branches.  Two 
eyes  will  suffice  for  the  young  shoots,  and  some  of  the  side 
runners  and  laterals  should  be  occasionally  thinned  out  where 
too  close  and  numerous,  as  in  such  case  they  weaken  and  in- 
jure each  other  and  lessen  'the  produce. 


COUNTER  ESPALIER  TRAINING, 

The  circumference  of  the  base  should  be  twice,  and  in  tem- 
pestuous situations  thrice  that  of  the  summit,  as  the  vine  thence 
derives  strength  and  support.  The  crops  produced  by  this 
course  of  culture  are  very  abundant.  A  vineyard  of  two  thou- 
sand stocks  trained  in  this  manner  with  every  necessary  atten- 
tion, yields  an  annual  produce  of  twenty-six  thousand  gallons 
of  wine,  while  on  the  other  hand  six  thousand  vines  cultivated 
after  the  common  mode  of  low  training,  yield  in  ordinary  sea- 
sons but  from  eight  hundred  to  thirteen  hundred  gallons,  and 
in  the  best  seasons  only  two  thousand  six  hundred  gallons. 

Counter  espalier  training. 

This  system  is  now  pursued  in  a  number  of  the  French  de- 
partments, and  much  approved.  In  plantations  where  it  is 
adopted,  the  rows  are  planted  six  feet  apart,  parallel  and 
athwart  each  other,  so  as  to  be  equally  benefited  by  the  sun. 
The  training  commences  at  the  third  or  fourth  years'  growth 
of  the  vineyard,  at  which  period,  posts  about  four  feet  high 
are  placed  in  regular  lines,  at  half  the  height  of  which  there 
is  a  line  of  lattices  placed  crosswise,  and  at  the  top  another 
range  placed  in  a  straight  line. 

When  the  vines  are  of  sufficient  growth,  the  shoots  at  both 
sides  are  led  backward  and  forward  in  an  oblique  manner 
along  the  range  of  cross  trellices,  until  the  espalier  is  perfectly 
formed,  and  the  spaces  at  each  side  of  the  stocks  are  entirely 
filled  up.  They  are  trained  after  this  manner  until  they  reach 
the  upper  trellice  to  which  they  must  be  tied.  After  the  trel- 
lices are  completely  filled  in  this  way,  the  ends  of  the  shoots 
should  be  clipped  off.  This  mode  of  serpentine  training  has 
a  very  advantageous  effect  on  the  circulation  of  the  sap  whose 
passage  is  rendered  more  regular  and  conducive  to  an  abun- 
dant yield.  The  shoots  have  the  full  benefit  of  the  solar  heat, 
by  which  means  the  fruit  ripens  well  and  perfects  its  flavour, 
and  the  crops  are  rendered  abundant. 


ZT&  PRUNING. 

Pruning. 

This,  as  well  as  the  other  operations  should  be  performed 
when  the  weather  is  dry,  the  advantage  of  which  experience 
proves,  and  the  instrument  should  be  sharp  and  calculated  to 
cut  smoothly  and  expeditiously.  There  are  indeed  three  sea- 
sons when  experienced  vignerons  deny  access  to  their  vine- 
yards ;  first,  when  the  ground  is  wet,  because  the  labourers 
passing  to  and  fro  press  down  and  pack  the  earth  ;  secondly, 
when  the  vines  are  in  blossom,  because  disturbing  theni  in 
any  way  at  that  period  is  calculated  to  produce  an  abortion 
or  coulure  ;  thirdly,  when  the  fruit  is  at  or  near  maturity, 
because  the  people  are  apt  to  pluck  the  fairest  and  best  ripen- 
ed grapes  which  is  considered  an  injury  to  the  whole  bunch. 

In  the  arts  of  horticulture,  I  have  never  taken  as  a  posi- 
tive guide  the  rules  of  any  other  country ;  convinced,  as  I 
am,  that  the  exercise  of  common  sense  reasoning,  will  bring 
one  to  the  wisest  conclusions  as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued. 
Thus,  with  regard  to  vines,  it  is  evident  that  as  the  small  la- 
teral branches  are  for  the  most  part  unproductive,  and  as  their 
absorption  of  avast  portion  of  sap,  which  might  otherwise 
pass  into  the  main  and  fruit  bearing  branches,  renders  them 
worse  than  useless,  they  should  be  in  no  way  encouraged  far- 
ther than  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  safety  of  the  plants. 

All  forcing  of  the  natural  functions  of  the  vine,  or  of  any 
other  plant,  is  alone  rendered  necessary  by  inappropriateness 
of  the  climate  and  other  circumstances,  to  afford  equal  success 
by  a  natural  development. 

A  person  to  prune  skilfully  or  to  direct  the  labours  of 
others,  should  possess  a  knowledge  of  its  eflects  both  from 
theory  and  practice,  so  as  to  be  able  to  foresee  the  effects  of 
its  every  application.  The  object  of  pruning  the  vine  is  to 
increase  its  produce,  to  obtain  from  it  annually  equal  crops, 
and  to  render  the  berries  larger  and  of  earlier  maturity.  Its 
operations  are  based  upon  the  same  principles  as  when  ap- 
plied to  other  trees  ;  but  the  vine  possesses  one  peculiar 
characteristic,  which  is,  that  the  fruit  being  produced  on  shoots 


PRUNING.  273 

of  the  same  year,  renders  this  management  much  more  simple, 
In  fact  it  is  sufficient  to  know  that  the  lower  buds  yield  the 
fruit-bearing  shoots,  in  order  to  understand  it ;  and  to  indicate 
to  us  that  it  is  proper  to  cut  the  past  season's  shoots  down  to 
as  many  eyes  or  joints  only,  as  we  deem  the  plant  capable 
of  supporting,  the  number  of  course  is  to  be  varied  according 
to  the  vigour,  soil,  nature  of  the  variety,  or  other  causes,  and 
the  operation  is  only  to  be  extended  to  shoots  of  the  preceding 
year.  The  deviation  of  the  sap  from  its  perpendicular  pas- 
sage, effected  by  annual  primings,  is  favourable  to  the  produc- 
tion of  fruit  by  causing  it  to  flow  with  less  rapidity ;  and  even  a 
sterile  vine  (those  truly  male  excepted)  may  be  made  to  yield 
fruit  the  ensuing  year,  by  breaking  the  shoots  between  the 
two  growths  at  about  half  their  height,  without  entirely  sepa- 
rating the  upper  half,  and  there  is  no  injury  where  branches 
Iiave  not  produced  fruit  the  previous  season,  in  allowing  them 
to  Temain  of  good  length  when  pruning  them,  because  their 
sap  not  having  been  exhausted^  can  support  a  large  crop. 
Short-jointed  shoots  being  generally  deemed  the  most  fruitful, 
should  be  left  in  preference  to  long  jointed  ones,  if  equal  in 
other  respects* 

On  this  subject  we  can  only  lay  down  general  rules  lo  be 
adopted,  wholly  or  partially  according  to  the  circumstaaces. 
As  relates  to  our  native  vines,  I  think  die  precise  period  of 
(performing  the  principal  pruning,  is  not  a  matter  of  very  great 
moment ;  for  as  there  is  «o  danger  of  injury  arising  from  it, 
the  fall,  winter,  or  early  m  the  spring  will  perhaps  answer 
(equally  well.  On  this  and  the  other  operations  connected  witfi 
the  subject,  every  vigneron  should  in  frequent  instances  exer- 
cise his  own  judgment 

The  vine  is  among  the  number  of  vegetable  productions 
whose  foliage  and  fruits  are  wholly  produced  on  the  shoot  of 
die  same  year-  This  fact  at  is  important  to  be  acquainted 
with,  for  it  is  upon  this,  that  is  based  a  part  of  the  principles 
upon  which  die  culture  of  the  vl«e  is  founded.  It  being  also 
at  the  lower  part  of  the  shoot  thai  die  clusters  of  fruit  are 
formed,  that  is  another  circumstance  equally  important  in  tlie 

35 


274  PRUNING. 

subject  to  be  taken  under  consideration ;  for  not  only  must 
there  be  a  young  shoot  to  produce  wood,  but  that  shoot  must 
spring  from  the  wood  of  the  preceding  year,  as  those  which 
spring  from  the  old  wood  are  usually  sterile.  A  pointed  bud 
indicates  a  sterile  shoot,  and  on  the  contrary,  a  blunt  or 
rounded  bud  announces  a  fruitful  one,  and  the  larger  it  is 
the  more  productive. 

Notwithstanding  the  pruning  operation  requires  to  be  well 
understood,  still  where  labourers  are  correctly  instructed,  it 
will  not  be  a  matter  of  great  difficulty,  and  in  France,  it  is 
done  every  where  by  women  and  children.  It  appears  how- 
ever to  there  be  an  object  of  complaint,  that  it  is  frequently 
neglected  or  badly  done,  and  that  deficient  crops  and  bad 
wine  are  often  caused  by  two  much  or  too  little  pruning. 

Improper  pruning  has  even  an  influence  on  the  crops  of 
succeeding  years,  and  upon  the  duration  of  the  vine.  The 
most  important  points  to  be  considered,  are  :  that  when  too 
many  sterile  shoots  are  left  on  the  vine,  they  abstract  and  con- 
sume a  great  portion  of  the  sap  which  should  have  nourished 
and  matured  the  fruit ;  that  when  too  many  bearing  shoot* 
are  left,  they  exhaust  the  vine,  and  cause  not  only  the  sub- 
sequent crop  to  be  poor,  but  even  the  vine  itself  often 
dwindles  for  some  time.  A  greater  proportion  of  shoots  and 
leaves  should  be  left  to  vines  located  on  dry  hills,  and  on 
those  having  a  southern  exposure,  and  less  in  shady  and  moist 
situations,  because  in  the  first  instance  it  favours  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  berries,  and  in  the  latter  it  prevents  them  from  be- 
ing too  watery.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  wood  of  the 
shoots  is  not  sufficiently  ripened  before  frost,  and  that  they 
are  consequently  injured  thereby.  In  such  cases  it  is  best  to 
prune  close,  that  is,  down  to  but  few  buds,  in  order  that  vigor- 
ous shoots  may  replace  the  injury  sustained,  and  in  no  case 
should  green  or  immature  wood  be  suffered  to  remain,  as  it 
would  not  fail  to  perish  afterwards,  and  even  to  affect  in  some 
degree  the  mature  wood  connected  with  it. 

Where  vines  have  been  injured  by  frosts  or  bruised  and 
broken  by  hail,  they  should  be  pruned  sufficiently  close  to  take 
off  all  the  injured  or  defective  wood  ;  this  operation  ought 


PRUNING.  275 

not  however  to  be  hurried,  but  time  should  elapse  sufficiently 
to  show  if  any  of  the  buds  have  vigour  enough  remaining  to 
allow  them  still  to  produce  fruit  which  they  frequently  do  even 
in  such  cases.  No  neglect  should  take  place  in  removing  at 
the  annual  winter  prunings  all  wood  that  is  old  and  dry, 
which  should  be  cut  oft*  close  to  the  healthy  shoots,  for  when 
suffered  to  remain,  it  retards  the  circulation  of  the  sap,  and  its 
influence  is  felt  by  the  Wealthy  branches. 

The  vines  subjected  to  low  pruning  are  cut  down  to  two  or 
three  eyes,  and  those  high  trained  often  to  a  single  eye,  because 
the  vegetation  of  the  young  shoots  is  strong  in  proportion  to 
their  reduction  in  number,  and  to  the  diminished  height  of  the 
plant.  It  is  most  prudent  however  to  leave  more  than  a  single 
eye,  because  there  is  a  risk  that  the  one  may  perish,  which  not 
only  causes  a  loss  of  the  fruit,  but  that  of  the  vine  itself,  if  it 
is  a  weak  one. 

Judgment  must  necessarily  be  exercised  in  this  operation, 
and  more  particularly  in  a  country  possessing  so  much  solar 
heat  as  our  own,  and  it  is  indispensable  that  a  number  of  buds 
be  left  proportioned  to  the  strength  of  the  shoot  and  the 
abundance  of  sap,  for  vines  trimmed  too  much  and  pruned  too 
close,  afford  less  wine,  especially  if  they  are  of  strong  growth. 
Further  remarks  on  close  pruning  upon  the  system  adopted 
at  Thomery,  &c.  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  "  Garden 
culture." 

It  seems  very  certain  that  the  extreme  heat  of  our  climate 
renders  it  optional  with  us  whether  we  shall  pursue  or  not,  the 
system  of  close  pruning  to  its  fullest  extent,  as  adopted  in  many 
European  countries.  I  must  confess  myself  considerably  a 
convert  to  the  system  of  long  pruning  in  that  portion  of  our 
country  where  the  summers  are  long  and  the  heat  great,  and 
in  regard  to  our  most  vigorous  native  vines,  I  think  this  sys- 
tem alone  can  be  attended  with  the  greatest  success.  Even  in 
France  long  pruning  is  preferred  where  the  growth  of  the 
vines  is  very  vigorous.  In  support  of  the  opinion  that  close 
pruning  is  not  requisite  to  abundant  produce  of  our  native  vines, 
the  most  productive  Scuppernong  vineyards  in  North  Carolina, 


276  PROPER  PERIOD  FOR  PRUNING. 

are  in  many  instances  not  trimmed  at  all,  and  the  wild  and  un- 
tutored vines  which  cover  our  hedges  and  mount  our  loftiest 
forests,  bend  beneath  the  abundance  of  their  produce. 

Much  greater  space  must  be  in  such  case  allowed  in  plan- 
tations of  native  vines,  and  to  show  the  extent  to  which  this 
may  be  carried,  an  instance  will  be  hereafter  detailed  where 
eight  Scuppernong  vines  cover  a  quarter  of  an  acre,  and  pro- 
duce crops  of  amazing  quantity.  The  opinion  has  also  been 
already  advanced,  that  many  of  our  native  vines  require  a 
different  mode  of  treatment  from  that  bestowed  on  foreign 
ones,  and  to  render  the  information  as  complete  as  possible 
on  that  head,  I  shall  introduce  in  the  course  of  the  work  the 
most  approved  modes  that  have  been  adopted  by  our  coun- 
trymen. 

Proper  period  for  pruning. 

The  celebrated  Olivier  de  Serres  affirmed,  that  late  pruning 
was  advantageous  in  the  greater  produce  of  fruit  thereby 
caused,  and  advanced  the  maxim  in  his  work,  that  the  earlier 
the  vine  is  pruned,  the  more  wood  it  makes,  and  the  later  the 
more  fruit ;  and  he  founds  that  opinion  on  the  circumstance, 
that  when  the  pruning  is  done  late,  there  is  a  loss  of  sap,  and 
that  when  vegetation  is  weakened,  but  not  in  too  great  a  de- 
gree, it  augments  the  number  of  bunches  and  lessens  the 
chances  of  abortion  in  the  flowers. 

It  is  nevertheless  acknowledged  in  all  vine  countries,  that 
the  earlier  the  pruning  and  the  sooner  the  sap  flows,  the  more 
vigorous  are  the  shoots  and  the  more  abundant  their  produce. 
Pruning  therefore  immediately  after  the  fall  of  the  leaves  is 
advantageous  in  all  climates  where  there  is  no  danger  that 
frost  during  the  winter  may  injure  the  branches,  nor  that  the 
spring  frosts  may  affect  the  young  shoots  ;  but  in  cold  climates 
it  is  necessary  to  retard  this  operation  as  much  as  possible,  and 
likewise  mother  localities,  where  the  expositions  are  subject  to 
spring  frosts.  The  pruning  of  the  vine  before  winter  in  cold 
climates  renders  the  remaining  part  of  the  shoots  more  sensi- 
ble to  hard  frosts,  therefore  it  is  not  pursued  in  French  vineyards 


PROPER  PERIOD  FOR  PRUNING.  277 

north  of  Lyons ;  for  if  done  in  the  fall  it  would  be  necessary 
to  leave  an  extra  bud,  from  a  calculation  that  the  upper  one 
would  be  destroyed  by  frost  or  otherwise  injured.  It  is  of 
importance  where  a  vineyard  comprises  many  varieties  whose 
period  of  maturity  differs,  to  prune  the  late  kinds  soonest  in 
order  to  accelerate  their  shooting. 

Mr.  Le  Ray  de  Chauniont  deems  it  the  best  time  to  prune 
the  vine  in  this  part  of  our  country  when  the  hardest  frosts  are 
passed,  which  in  this  latitude  is  about  the  fifth  to  the  tenth  of 
March,  and  still  later  at  the  north,  and  earlier  to  the  south. 
Others  deem  the  fall  the  preferable  period,  and  when  so  much 
difference  of  opinion  exists,  it  would  be  well  for  everyone  who 
has  an  extensive  vineyard  at  stake,  to  make  experiments  on  a 
few  vines  at  each  season  so  as  to  decide  for  himself.  If  the 
autumn  is  preferred,  it  should  be  performed  after  the  wood  is 
well  matured  and  the  leaves  have  fallen,  and  on  a  fine  dry  day. 

Berneaud  says  that  autumnal  or  early  winter  pruning  is  im- 
prudent in  the  colder  latitudes,  as  by  advancing  the  vegeta- 
tion it  renders  the  vines  more  liable  to  be  injured  by  frost, 
and  that  it  should  be  deferred  until  the  freezing  season  is  past. 
He  recommends  the  first  half  of  March  as  the  best  period  for 
vineyards  in  the  central  and  northern  French  departments, 
and  for  countries  of  similar  temperature. 

The  following  article  on  the  subject,  is  from  the  pen  of  the 
very  intelligent  secretary  of  the  Maryland  society  for  promoting 
the  vine  culture,  J.  C.  S.  Monkur,  Esq. 

"  It  is  often  asked  us,  when  it  is  the  proper  time  for  pruning 
grape  vines  ?  We  observe  in  the  works  upon  the  vine,  a  great 
discrepancy  of  opinion  on  this  particular  part  of  its  culture. 
That  this  is  an  all  important  procedure  to  the  health,  duration, 
and  profit  of  the  vine,  no  one  can  contend  to  the  contrary ; 
but  we  are  inclined  to  believe,  that  the  great  stress  urged  on 
the  particular  time  it  should  be  done,  does  not  deserve  the 
consideration  which  has  been  given  it.  In  accordance  with 
our  observation,  the  time  bears  but  little  relation  in  importance 
to  the  manner  of  its  performance,  provided  we  shall  have  it 
finished  before  the  commencement  of  the  circulation  of  the 


278  PROPER  PERIOD  FOR  PRUNING. 

juices  peculiar  to  the  vegetable.  Hence  the  difference  of  time 
observed  in  the  writings  of  the  different  individuals  upon  this 
subject,  who  have,  no  doubt,  been  guided  in  their  choice  by 
the  effect  of  climate  upon  the  production  of  early  and  late 
vegetation.  Some  insist  it  should  be  done  about  the  middle 
of  October,  or  at  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  '  rather  than  defer  it  till 
spring,  because  the  tender  parts  of  those  young  shoots,  if  left 
on,  are  subject  to  decay  in  winter,  or  they  are  apt  to  grow  late 
in  the  year,  so  the  tops  of  the  shoots  are  tender,  and  early 
frosts  will  pinch  them,  and  then  they  frequently  are  killed  down 
a  considerable  length,  which  weakens  their  roots ;  but  if  they 
are  cut  off  early  in  autumn^  the  wound  will  heal  over  before 
bad  weather,  and  thereby  the  roots  will  be  greatly  strengthen- 
ed.' On  the  other  side,  the  advocates  for  spring  pruning, 
tell  us  the  proper  time  for  this  operation,  in  the  middle  states, 
is  the  latter  end  of  February,  or  first  week  in  March,  much 
earlier  in  the  southern  states,  and  very  little  later  in  the  eastern. 
Forsyth  cautions  us  not  to  prune  till  the  beginning  of  Febru- 
ary, unless  in  case  of  an  uncommon  forwardness  in  the  season. 
It  is  common,  he  continues,  with  some,  to  begin  pruning  soon 
after  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  before  the  wood  becomes  hard  ;  but 
if  the  frost  set  in  before  the  wood  is  hard,  especially  after  wet 
summers  and  autumns,  it  will  be  much  injured.  He  has  seen 
vines  almost  killed  after  autumnal  pruning.  In  the  Vine- 
dresser's Manual,  by  Thiebaut  de  Berneaud,  it  is  remarked, 
'  that  the  principal  point  is  to  know  and  seize  the  right  time 
for  pruning.  To  do  it  too  soon  advances  vegetation  and  ex- 
poses the  young  buds  to  the  nipping  of  the  cold,  or  even 
spring  frosts ;  if  too  late,  it  retards  the  development  of  the 
buds,  and  perhaps  destroys  the  fruit  buds  by  their  becoming 
drenched  with  the  bleeding  sap  during  the  night ;  or  perhaps 
a  late  frost  happens,  and  finds  the  retarded  sprouts  so  backward 
and  tender  that  it  will  entirely  destroy  them.  In  some  warm 
countries,  some  pruning  should  be  performed  after  the  fall  of 
the  leaf;  it  gives  the  grape  a  greater  chance  for  ripening  and 
becoming  sugary ;  but  to  prune  in  fall  or  beginning  of  the 
winter  in  cold  countries,  is  imprudent :  it  is  proper  to  wait 


CLIPPING  AND  TOPPING  OF  THE  VINE.  279 

until  the  black  frost  is  over ;  and  it  should  only  be  done  when 
the  weather  is  fair,  dry,  and  without  appearance  of  rain.  After 
the  sap  begins  to  circulate,  it  is  improper  to  prune  the  vines, 
unless  such  as  are  sprouting  too  luxuriantly,  and  which  re- 
quire to  be  weakened ;  those  in  a  proper  condition  it  weakens 
too  much  ;  they  seem  exhausted  and  yield  only  poor  fruit,' 
However,  in  despite  of  the  directions  before  us,  we  have  for 
these  six  years  pruned~p.  large  collection,  both  of  foreign  and 
native  vines,  for  cuttings  for  the  gratification  of  friends,  in 
every  week,  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf  to  the  middle  of  March, 
without  having  from  very  close  attention,  even  observed  any 
injury  done ;  and  therefore  feel  satisfied,  that  it  can  be  per- 
formed safely  at  any  time  after  the  complete  fall  of.  the  leaf, 
until  immediately  previous  to  the  circulation  of  the  sap,  which 
effect,  sooner  or  later  takes  place,  according  to  climate,  situa- 
tion, and  disposition  of  the  vines.  This  process  we  discover, 
usually  happens  in  this  state,  from  the  beginning  to  the  middle 
of  March,  yet  we  are  aware  that  certain  species  of  the  vine, 
are  more  forward  and  begin  vegetation  earlier  from  disposition 
and  situation  than  others  ;  but  it  will  be  in  time,  if  pruning 
be  done  in  Maryland  and  the  other  southern  states,  the  last 
week  in  February  or  the  first  in  March ;  but  by  no  means 
should  it  be  delayed  longer  than  the  middle  of  March.  It  is 
the  manner  of  pruning  that  deserves  our  serious  and  attentive 
consideration ;  for  on  its  correctness,  doubtless,  very  much 
of  our  future  success  depends." 

• 

Clipping  and  topping  of  the  vine. 

One  of  the  operations  of  the  summer  pruning  takes  place 
after  the  fruit  is  formed,  and  is  called  clipping.  It  is  intend- 
ed to  remove  the  superfluous  shoots,  in  order  to  throw  the 
strength  into  those  bearing  fruit,  and  it  also  affords  more  air 
to  the  plant.  In  performing  it,  the  useless  branches  should  be 
pruned  close  to  the  stalk,  but  the  laterals  should  be  taken  off 
between  the  first  and  second  joint,  and  in  no  case  should  they 
be  twisted  off  or  broken.  Where  two  or  more  shoots  come  out 
at  one  joint,  but  one  of  them  should  be  suffered  to  remain* 


280  CLIPPING  AND  TOPPING  OF  THE  VINE* 

A  sound  discretion  should  be  exercised  as  to  the  number  of 
shoots  to  be  pruned  off,  for  by  leaving  too  great  a  number  to 
form  new  wood,  we  deprive  the  fruit  branches  of  the  necessary 
support,  and  by  allowing  too  many  fruit  bearers  we  exhaust 
the  stock,  the  effect  of  which  is  felt  for  several  subsequent  sea- 
sons. This  measure  should  be  pursued  several  times  during 
the  season,  according  as  the  humidity  or  dryness  of  the  wea- 
ther may  by  their  influence  on  the  growth  of  the  vines  render 
it  necessary. 

The  branches  pruned  off  from  the  vines  may  be  used  as  pro- 
vender for  horses,  cows,  and  sheep,  which  are  very  fond  of 
them ;  but  as  they  are  very  heating  when  eaten  in  a  green  state, 
it  is  best  to  spread  them  until  sufficiently  dry,  and  then  put 
them  in  stacks  or  barns  for  winter  fodder,  when  if  mixed  with 
hay  or  straw,  cows  will  fatten  upon  them,  and  their  milk  be 
increased  both  in  quantity  and  quality. 

There  is  another  operation  that  comes  under  the  head  of 
pruning,  which  is  called  topping,  or  pinching  off  the  shoots, 
and  consists  in  taking  off  the  extremity  of  the  shoot,  in  order 
to  stop  its  growing  longer,  and  to  enlarge  it  as  well  as  the 
fruit.  This  is  practised  in  nearly  all  the  vineyards  in  the 
north  of  France,  but  not  in  those  of  the  south.  If  executed 
properly  and  moderately,  it  produces  the  effect  above  men- 
tioned ;  but  if  done  too  soon  or  immoderately,  it  not  only  tends 
to  different  results,  but  retards  in  a  great  degree  the  maturity 
of  the  grapes,  because  new  shoots  spring  up  which  draw  off 
the  sap,  more  especially  if  the  weather  be  rainy.  As  it  is.when 
the  berries  have  nearly  attained  their  size  that  this  is  to  be 
performed,  it  should  consequently  be  confided  to  skilful  hands. 

We  stand  much  in  need  of  some  general  principles  applicable 
to  our  native  vines  by  which  to  regulate  the  summer  pruning, 
for  the  adoption  of  European  maxims  in  this  case  will  be  some- 
times attended  with  injurious  results.  I  have  found  that  prun- 
ing off  a  great  portion  of  the  young  shoots  of  the  Isabella  vine 
at  midsummer,  when  the  fruit  was  about  half  or  two  thirds 
grown,  caused  a  great  portion  of  the  berries  to  decay,  turn 
black,  and  fall  of,  which  I  take  to  be  another  proof  that  the 


PRUNING  AND  TREATMENT  OP  A  YOUNG  VINEYARD.       281 

superabundance  of  sap  generated  in  our  vigorous  native  vines 
must  be  allowed  greater  facilities  for  passing  off  through  its 
natural  channels. 

In  regard  to  pruning  off  the  tendrils  which  some  consider 
important,  it  has  been  proved  to  yield  no  apparent  good  or  harm. 
In  some  places  they  take  off  the  leaves  of  the  vines  in  order  to 
make  the  fruit  ripen  sooner  by  exposing  them  more  to  the  sun» 
but  this  nearly  always  has  a  contrary  effect,  and  when  done 
too  soon  or  to  too  great  an  extent,  alters  the  flavour  of  the 
juice.  Another  point  worthy  of  consideration  is  that  the 
foliage  by  protecting  the  fruit  from  cold  winds,  and  stopping 
the  passage  of  the  warm  vapours  which  rise  from  the  earth 
during  the  night,  produces  more  effect  than  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  which  at  that  season  are  feeble  and  often  obscured  by 
clouds  and  fogs. 

Taking  off  the  foliage  is  therefore  of  no  benefit  in  vineyards 
and  of  no  use  except  in  giving  more  colour  to  table  grapes, 
such  as  the  chasselas,  &c.  and  it  would  not  probably  be  much 
practised  in  Europe,  if  they  were  not  in  want  of  the  leaves  as 
food  for  cattle.  At  all  events  it  should  only  be  resorted  to 
when  the  summer  has  been  so  moderate  as  to  create  great 
doubts  respecting  the  maturity  of  the  grapes,  which  is  not 
likely  to  often  happen  in  our  country,  where  fhe  quantum  of 
solar  heat  in  the  most  unfavourable  seasons,  is  fully  adequate 
to  the  maturity  of  our  native  varieties,  and  no  doubt  by  pro- 
per attention,  equally  so  as  respects  foreign  vines  when  appro- 
priately located. 

Pruning  and  treatment  of  a  young  vineyard. 
The  first  year  after  the  plants  are  placed  in  the  vineyard, 
I  would  allow  only  one  shoot  to  grow,  and  an  examination 
for  this  object  should  take  place  as  soon  as  the  scions  or  rooted 
vines  begin  to  shoot,  leaving  only  one  of  the  most  promising, 
and  pruning  off  the  rest ;  this  should  be  carefully  pursued  every 
three  weeks  throughout  the  season,  during  which  period,  all 
lateral  branches  should  be  quickly  taken  off,  as  they  not 
only  impoverish  the  main  shoot,  but  greatly  prevent  the  ri- 
pening of  the  wood. 

36 


PRUNING  AND  TREATMENT  OP  A  YOUNG  VINEYARD. 

At  the  regular  fall  or  winter  pruning,  this  shoot  should  be 
shortened  to  about  three  or  four  eyes,  according  to  the  strength 
of  the  plant,  and  where  very  weak,  it  would  be  best  to  leave 
but  two  eyes,  observing  always  to  cut  off  the  shoot  three 
inches  above  the  uppermost  eye  of  those  that  are  to  remain. 
During  the  second  summer,  there  will  be  no  further  attention 
necessary,  but  to  keep  down  the  lateral  shoots ;  in  doing  which, 
you  should  proceed  thus  :  ^Having  left  two  of  the  most  pro- 
mising shoots,  and  rubbed  off  all  the  others,  continue  to  ex- 
amine the  vines  every  two  or  three  weeks,  and  carefully  prune 
off  all  lateral  shoots  whatever,  throughout  the  season  ;  in 
doing  which,  I  have  found  it  of  advantage,  where  the  lateral 
shoot  was  strong,  to  leave  the  first  joint  remaining,  that  it  may 
take  off  the  superfluous  sap,  and  prevent  the  bursting  of  the 
main  bud,  which  should  not  push  out  till  the  ensuing  season. 
These  single  joints  thus  left  remaining,  can  be  altogether  taken 
off  at  the  final  pruning.  This  course  will  bring  you  to  the 
conclusion  of  the  second  season,  when  at  the  autumnal  prun- 
ing you  should  proceed  as  follows  : — To  the  very  strong  vines, 
I  would  leave  eight  buds  ;  to  those  less  so,  six ;  and,  to  those 
which  still  seem  quite  weak,  from  three  to  four  buds,  accord- 
ing to  your  own  judgment  on  the  subject. 

During  the  third  summer  from  three  to  four  shoots  may  be 
left,  and  the  same  precautions  used  in  suppressing  laterals,  &c. 
as  before  prescribed,  and  they  can  in  autumn  be  pruned  down 
to  such  number  of  buds  as  you  consider  the  vine  calculated 
to  sustain.  There  is  another  point  to  be  considered  in  the 
pruning  operation,  which  is,  to  preserve  about  an  equal  pro- 
portion of  wood  for  each  side  of  the  vine,  for  where  a  great 
difference  is  made  in  this  respect,  the  sap  is  apt  to  be  drawn 
too  much  to  the  stronger  one,  and  thereby  weaken  and  im- 
poverish the  other. 

In  pruning,  the  knife  should  be  made  to  enter  at  the  side 
opposite  the  uppermost  bud  left,  which  will  cause  the  highest 
part  of  the  slope  to  be  above  the  eye,  by  which  any  bleeding 
or  drops  of  rain  will  pass  off  at  the  lower  side  of  the  slope 
without  injury  to  the  bud.  At  the  fourth  pruning  the  vine 


PRUNING BARKING LAYING  BARE  THE  ROOT.  283 

will  have  attained  its  proper  shape,  and  from  that  period  they 
are  classed  and  trained  according  to  the  systems  of  short  and 
long-  pruning,  and  therefore  no  further  directions  will  be  found 
necessary  than  to  follow  such  of  the  general  principles  laid 
down  as  may  be  deemed  best  calculated  to  ensure  success,  and 
to  prune  frequently  and  sufficiently,  so  as  to  stop  at  all  times 
the  lateral  shoots,  where  they  are  calculated  to  impoverish  the 
vine  without  any  manifest  advantage  ;  in  a  word,  to  force  by 
art  into  the  main  branches  of  the  vines,  that  sap  which,  with- 
out such  aid,  would  be  lost  in  superfluous,  weak,  and  useless 
shoots. 

Pruning  to  restore  the  vigour  of  vines — Taking  off  the  bark — 
Laying  bare  the  vine  root. 

A  vine  may  be  renewed  by  cutting  it  down  below  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil,  and  suppressing  the  most  of  the  shoots  which 
spring  from  it.  In  general,  unless  it  be  necessary  to  form 
provins  to  fill  up  the  ground,  there  should  be  but  one  left, 
and  that  ought  to  be  the  strongest ;  this  should  be  pruned  the 
ensuing  winter  down  to  a  few  eyes  as  with  a  perfect  vine  ; 
sometimes  suckers  keep  springing  up  from  the  root  for  several 
years,  which  must  be  destroyed.  This  manner  of  renewing 
the  growth  of  vines  is  founded  upon  the  principle  that  the 
vigour  of  trees  is  increased  in  proportion  to  the  regular  course 
of  the  sap,  and  to  its  not  being  caused  to  deviate  in  its  course 
by  angles  or  windings  ;  and  these  it  is  well  known  are  numerous 
in  an  old  vine  that  has  been  annually  pruned,  whereas  there 
are  none  in  a  shoot  which  rises  directly  from  the  root.  This 
method  is  pursued  only  in  a  few  localities,  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  it  has  not  been  more  generally  adopted  in  cases 
that  require  it.  In  some  instances  where  vines  have  undergone 
great  exhaustion,  they  are  allowed  to  lie  fallow  as  it  is  termed, 
during  which  period  they  receive  no  pruning. 

With  all  trees  the  removal  of  the  old  and  rough  bark  is 
found  of  great  benefit,  and  this  course  has  been  applied  by 
many  French  vignerons  to  their  vines  with  equal  advantage. 
Its  effect  is  by  allowing  th»  new  bark  a  more  full  expansion 


284  LAYING  BARE  THE  ROOT GIRDLING. 

to  encourage  the  growth  of  the  shoots  ;  and  it  also  destroys 
great  multitudes  of  insects  which  usually  shelter  themselves 
beneath  it,  and  deprives  others  of  the  means  of  concealment 
and  preservation.  Its  general  influence  is  to  produce  a  greater 
development  of  the  plant,  and  it  is  therefore  efficacious  in 
advancing  its  health,  and  increasing  the  quantity  of  the  fruit. 
I  notice  a  procedure  recommended  by  French  authors,  of 
which  I  must  acknowledge  I  cannot  see  the  benefit.  This  is, 
to  remove  the  earth  at  the  beginning  of  April  from  around 
the  stock  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  or  more,  for  the 
purpose  of  destroying  all  suckers  and  superfluous  roots.  For 
suppressing  any  shoots  this  procedure  does  not  seem  requisite, 
as  so  very  few  ever  make  their  appearance  in  that  position,  that 
it  would  not  be  worth  the  labour,  and  as  the  few  that  may  occa- 
sionally appear  can  be  otherwise  removed  with  so  much  less 
trouble.  That  the  base  of  the  vines  should  be  entirely  free 
from  suckers,  all  must  agree  in  opinion,  and  if  other  less  easy 
methods  are  insufficient  for  success,  then  that  of  clearing  the 
soil  away  around  the  vines  may  be  adopted  ;  but  the  vineyards 
among  us,  so  far  as  I  have  seen,  are  very  little  prone  to  form 
an  abundance  of  shoots  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
As  to  suppressing  any  portion  of  the  roots,  I  deem  it  an  injury, 
and  therefore  the  practice  in  that  respect  is  worse  than  useless, 
for  it  may  be  taken  as  an  axiom  in  horticulture,  that  the 
more  perfectly  the  roots  are  allowed  to  form  and  extend  them- 
selves, the  more  vigorous  will  be  the  plant  and  the  more  abun- 
dant its  produce.  Some  recommend  also  where  the  branches 
on  one  side  of  a  vine  are  more  flourishing  than  on  the  other, 
that  a  part  of  the  roots  be  cut  away  on  the  luxuriant  side,  but 
under  such  circumstances  it  is  certainly  more  advantageous  to 
enrich  the  soil  with  manure  near  the  part  least  vigorous,  and 
to  thereby  afford  it  sufficient  nourishment  to  compete  with  the 
other. 

Girdling  or  Incisure. 

This  operation  is  best  performed  with  scissors  expressly 
calculated  for  the  purpose,  the  two  edges  of  which  form  a  ring 


GIRDLING  OR  INCISURE.  285 

when  united,  and  thus  encircle  the  shoot.  A  sharp  pruning 
knife,  with  a  smooth  edge  and  hawk's  bill,  will  also  answer  the 
object,  but  will  not  execute  the  work  with  equal  expedition. 
It  is  more  particularly  pursued  among  us,  in  order  to  advance 
the  maturity  of  the  fruit,  and  increase  its  size  and  quality. 
Its  primitive  introduction  among  the  ancients  was  to  prevent 
the  coulure  or  blight ;  and  Theophrastus,  Pliny,  and  various 
other  writers,  mention  it  as  a  practice  adopted  by  the  vignerons 
of  their  respective  periods. 

It  has  also  been  recommended  and  practised  on  various 
trees  by  Olivier  de  Serres,  Magnol,  Buffon,  Duhamel,  Rosier, 
Thouin,  &c.  the  latter  of  whom  carried  his  experiments  to  a 
great  extent,  and  proved  its  powerful  effects  not  only  on  the 
various  species  of  stone  fruit,  on  nut  and  berry-bearing  trees 
and  vines,  but  on  various  other  families  of  the  vegetable  king- 
dom. The  principle,  upon  which  it  is  based,  is  the  well  known 
theory  of  the  progress  of  the  sap,  which  ascends  in  the  wood 
and  descends  through  the  bark,  and  which  by  this  process  is 
retained  above  the  incision,  at  the  same  time  that  its  ascent 
through  the  wood  is  not  prevented,  by  which  circumstances 
a  far  greater  proportion  is  distributed  throughout  the  upper 
part  of  the  branch,  thereby  causing  the  vegetation  to  be  great- 
ly increased,  the  fruit  and  branch  to  be  enlarged  in  size,  and 
the  maturity  of  the  former  to  be  advanced. 

It  may  be  advantageously  adopted  in  very  rainy  seasons, 
and  when  the  cold  or  dampness  is  such  as  to  render  the  ma- 
turity of  the  crop  veny  uncertain.  But  in  vineyard  or  field 
culture  it  should  not  be  resorted  to  in  fine  seasons,  as  its  object 
there  is  simply  to  counteract  the  injurious  effects,  or  the  un- 
favourable variations  of  climate  ;  and  it  should  only  be  ap- 
plied to  strong  and  vigorous  vines,  and  then  not  frequently, 
unless  they  are  particularly  sterile  and  subject  to  blight.  It 
may  be  done  on  either  the  old  or  new  wood,  and  in  Europe  is 
generally  confined  to  that  of  the  preceding  year  ;  but  one  of 
our  most  intelligent  experimentalists,  S.  G.  Perkins,  Esq.  of 
Massachusetts,  recommends  operating  on  the  two  year  old 
wood  ;  when  done  on  the  young  wood,  the  shoots^are  apt  to 


286  GIRDLING  OR  INCISURE. 

be  broken  by  the  wind,  which  inconvenience  is  not  felt  by  the 
old  wood,  which  is  firm  and  strong. 

There  are  two  periods  for  its  performance,  having  different 
prominent  objects  in  view ;  to  prevent  the  blight  of  the  blos- 
soms, it  should  be  performed  between  the  time  the  sap  begins 
to  ascend  and  that  when  the  flowers  expand,  and  the  period 
generally  preferred  is  from  six  to  eight  days  previous  to  their 
expansion.  When  done  at  this  period  its  influence  will  extend 
also  to  the  fruit.  The  other  period  of  execution  is  when  the 
fruit  is  fully  formed,  which  is  about  the  end  of  June  or  begin- 
ning of  July  in  this  latitude. 

Various  modifications  have  taken  precedence  in  the  manner 
of  its  performance,  which  has  become  reduced  to  a  course  readily 
understood  and  performed.  Take  the  scissors  or  knife  before 
referred  to  and  pass  it  round  a  branch  where  the  bark  is  smooth 
and  cut  down  to  the  wood  ;  and  at  a  quarter  to  a  half  inch  be- 
low, in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  the  vine,  make  another 
circular  incision  parallel  with  the  first,  then  by  a  perpendicu- 
lar cut  from  the  one  to  the  other,  you  may  readily  remove  the 
ring  of  bark  thus  loosened  from  the  branch,  which  should  be 
done  quite  down  to  the  wood,  so  as  not  to  leave  any  portion 
even  of  the  liber  or  inner  bark,  to  form  a  connection  of  the 
parts  thus  separated. 

In  seasons  when  the  growth  of  the  vine  is  very  vigorous, 
the  'incision  will  sometimes  become  closed,  in  which  case  it 
must  be  re-opened ;  but  the  partial  incrustation  which  serves 
for  an  after  connection  must  be  allowed  to  remain,  if  the 
shoots  are  intended  to  be  layered  as  provins,  or  if  it  is  desired 
to  preserve  them  for  any  other  object.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  cut  into  or  wound  the  wood,  but  simply  to  take  off  the 
entire  bark  that  surrounds  it. 

The  following  rules  are  adopted  in  France  in  its  perfor- 
mance : — In  girdling  vineyards  of  low  pruned  vines,  the  inci- 
sion is  made  on  the  -wood  formed  the  previous  year,  and  below 
each  fruit  bearing  shoot.  In  vineyards  high  trained,  the  in- 
cision is  made  at  the  commencement  of  the  curve,  or  bend  just 
below  the  twist  previously  spoken  of,  or  in  case  that  has  been 


MANURING.  ,    287 

omitted,  just  at  the  place  where  that  is  generally  made,  the  ob- 
ject of  both  being  to  accomplish  the  same  end  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree.  On  strong  stool  vines,  where  the  shoots  are  very 
vigorous,  the  incision  is  made  on  the  fruit  branch  itself. 

The  fact  of  incision  forming  an  infallible  preventive  to  the 
blight,  if  executed  skilfully  and  opportunely,  is  established  on 
the  basis  of  numerous  and  repeated  experiments,  made  on  vines 
subject  to  its  effects. 

Viewing  the  operation  however  in  application  to  entire 
plantations  of  vines,  it  can  only  be  pursued  by  causing  the 
more  speedy  exhaustion  of  the  stocks  they  contain,  and  at  the 
sacrifice  of  the  greater  duration  of  the  vineyards.  The  very 
basis  of  this  procedure  proves  conclusively  the  exhaustion 
which  must  necessarily  be  produced  in  the  lower  section  of  the 
shoot  thus  treated,  as  well  as  in  the  main  stock,  by  the  non-re- 
turn of  the  sap ;  and  the  consequent  inappropriateness  of  its  adop- 
tion except  where  the  branches  operated  upon,  can  be  totally 
dispensed  with  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  or  be  layered  as  perma- 
nent pro  vins,  which  latter  course  secures  the  great  concentration 
of  sap  in  the  upper  part  of  the  shoot,  for  after  advantage  and 
profitable  development.  But  in  garden  culture  where  the  fruit 
of  each  season  is  produced  on  branches  brought  forward  the 
preceding  one,  and  where  those  that  have  produced  fruit  are 
removed  at  the  end  of  the  same  year,  this  course  is  less  objec- 
tionable, and  its  advantages  may  render  it  worthy  of  adoption. 
In  such  case  the  highest  fruit  branches  and  those  which  pre- 
sent the  greatest  show  of  clusters  should  be  selected  for  the 
operation  ;  and  particular  care  be  taken  that  the  incision  is 
made  above  the  shoots  intended  for  forming  new  wood.  One 
of  the  most  beneficial  results  of  girdling,  is  that,  by  hastening 
the  maturity,  it  allows  of  open  culture  in  climates  where  a  suc- 
cessful result  in  this  respect  could  not  otherwise  be  attained. 

Manuring. 

The  vine  possesses  the  faculty  of  seeking  by  its  roots  for  a 
great  distance  the  sustenance  it  requires  from  the  soil,  and  can 
therefore  subsist  in  the  same  spot  an  indeterminate  number  of 


288  MANURING. 

years  if  the  ground  is  fertile  ;  but  every  consideration  recom- 
mends us  to  plant  it  in  poor  soils,  and  these  soon  become  ex- 
hausted by  it.  It  therefore  requires  frequent  manuring  in 
order  to  support  the  abundance  of  its  produce,  although  a 
powerful  motive  opposes  the  use  of  it,  which  is  that  it  injures 
the  quality  of  the  wine,  and  even  gives  it  a  bad  flavour.  On 
hill  sides,  the  soil  of  vineyards  becomes  exhausted,  and  the 
number  as  well  as  the  size  of  the  grapes  finally  diminishes, 
which  leads  necessarily  to  a  deterioration  of  the  quality  of  the 
wine,  of  which  many  old  neglected  vineyards  furnish  ample 
proofs.  At  all  periods  the  friends  of  good  wine  have  been 
opposed  to  animal  manures,  they  being  the  only  ones  essentially 
injurious.  It  is  to  the  use  of  the  filth  of  the  city  of  Paris, 
that  is  attributed  in  part  the  bad  quality  of  the  wines  of  its 
vicinity.  A  moderate  portion  of  manure  will  not  do  much 
injury ;  but  as  the  crops  are  increased  in  proportion  to  the 
quantity,  sjuch  quantities  are  often  used  even  in  some  of  the  first 
vineyards  of  France,  as  greatly  to  injure  the  wines. 

It  is  therefore  recommended  where  the  quality  of  the  wines 
is  the  main  object,  to  manure  but  moderately,  and  to  select 
vegetable  manures  in  all  cases  in  preference  to  those  produced 
by  animals  where  such  can  be  obtained.  The  deposits  on 
the  shores  of  rivers  and  creeks,  the  cleanings  of  ditches  and 
ponds,  and  earth  from  roads  and  yards  are  recommended  as 
proper  for  manuring  and  enriching  the  soil  of  vineyards. 
Fresh  earth  may  also  be  transported  from  grain  fields  and 
meadows,  or  from  woods.  A  suitable  compost  may  likewise  be 
formed  with  the  earth  of  the  vineyard,  the  leaves  of  trees,  dry 
weeds,  the  parings  of  lawns,  &c. 

But  the  course  least  practised,  and  yet  deemed  most  bene- 
ficial, is  that  of  raising  crops  of  particular  plants  every  second 
or  third  year,  for  the  purpose  of  ploughing  or  digging  in. 
There  are  many  annual  plants  that  may  be  sown  immediately 
after  the  vintage,  which  could  in  most  parts  of  the  union, 
attain  a  growth  sufficient  to  be  dug  or  ploughed  in  the  same 
season.  Buckwheat  is  particularly  recommended  for  this  pur- 
pose, being  easily  cultivated  and  ploughed  in,  and  as  producing 


MANURING.  289 

the  desired  effect,  but  as  its  operation  is  not  very  durable,  the 
practice  should  be  renewed  every  second  or  third  year. 

Columella  mentions  that  the  ancients  used  a  species  of  lupin 
for  this  object,  and  on  the  luxuriant  hills  of  Damazan,  in-  the 
department  of  Lot  and  Garonne,  the  same  practice  is  pur- 
sued. The  lupin  is  in  flower  at  the  period  of  tillage,  and  is 
then  turned  under,  thereby  forming  a  strong  and  valuable 
manure  with  but  little  expense.  It  is  found  particularly  ad- 
vantageous to  light  sandy  soils,  and  I  would  recommend  its 
more  general  use. 

There  are  also  many  other  annual  plants  which  might  be 
converted  to  manuring  the  soil  by  this  mode.  In  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Rhone,  they  manure  their  vineyards  by  sowing 
winter  vetches  in  October,  and  turning  them  under  ground 
towards  the  middle  of  May,  and  this  practice  is  approved  by 
both  theory  and  use.  Another  plant  very  suitable  to  this  kind 
of  culture  is  the  faba  sativa,  or  Egyptiari  bean,  of  which  we 
have  many  varieties  under  the  title  of  horse  bean,  Windsor, 
long  pod,  &c.  these  can  be  planted  annually  in  the  inter- 
vening spaces,  and  after  gathering  the  first  beans,  the  remainder 
with  the  plants  can  be  dug  under  in  June. 

In  some  vineyards  they  collect  bushes  of  heath,  furze,  and 
briars,  and  also  the  prunings  of  trees,  and  bury  them  near  the 
roots  of  the  vines  during  summer,  in  order  to  ameliorate  ihe 
soil,  and  the  effect  is  said  to  be  beneficial  for  several  years* 

The  celebrated  Olivier  de  Serres  says  that  the  third  and  last 
working  of  vineyards  which  is  performed  after  the  vintage,  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  progress  of  the  vine,  and  to  the 
increase  of  its  produce.  This  is  usually  done  in  autumn  ;  and 
if  the  vigneron  does  not  wish  to  delay  it  until  the  leaves  have 
fallen,  he  can  as  soon  as  the  grapes  are  gathered,  commence 
it  by  having  women  and  children  to  go  a-head  of  the  work- 
men to  pull  off  the  leaves  from  the  vines,  and  throw  them  on 
the  ground,  which  are  dug  in  by  the  labourers  to  manure  the 
soil.  This  work  can  be  delayed  until  after  the  leaves  have 
fallen,  when  dry  however  they  are  far  less  enriching  to  the 
soil  than  when  green  ;  but  for  my  own  part  I  am  averse  to  all 
defoliations  of  the  vine  except  by  the  course  of  nature. 

37 


290  MANURING. 

If  notwithstanding  the  disadvantages,  animal  manures  are  to 
be  used,  still  it  is  advisable,  that  they  should  be  left  to  become 
completely  decomposed  by  the  atmosphere  ;  for  which  reason 
they  ought  not  to  be  employed  until  they  are  two  or  three 
years  old,  and  have  lost  their  scent.  It  may  be  well  to  re- 
mark, that  there  are  some  animal  substances  which  greatly 
enrich  the  soil  and  do  not  injure  the  wine,  such  as  horns,  and 
horn  shavings,  hair,  claws,  and  nails,  these  have  also  the  ad- 
vantage of  only  becoming  decomposed  when  the  atmosphere 
is  both  warm  and  moist,  which  is  the  time  when  they  can  im- 
part the  most  benefit. 

Autumn  is  the  most  favourable  period  for  manuring  vine- 
yards, and  the  vigneron  is  then  more  at  leisure  to  attend  to 
it,  the  manure  likewise  has  time  during  winter  to  become  more 
decomposed,  and  consequently  will  impart  less  odour  to  the 
fruit. 

Frequent  manurings  are  deemed  far  more  advantageous 
than  doing  it  very  abundantly  at  one  time,  and  are  calculated 
to  produce  less  variation  in  the  quality  of  the  wine.  The 
manure  should  be  spread  equally  over  the  surface,  so  as  to 
afford  general  benefit  to  the  roots  in  every  direction,  and  not 
be  placed  in  large  quantities  near  the  root  of  the  vine  only, 
as  is  often  practiced.  It  is  also  deemed  prudent  when  animal 
manures  are  used,  that  only  part  of  the  vineyard  be  manured 
at  one  time.  As  a  conclusive  proof  of  the  great  influence  of 
manures  on  the  fruit,  we  may  cite  the  vineyards  of  Aunis,  and 
its  neighbourhood,  where  sea  weed  alone  is  used  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  where  the  grapes  not  only  partake  of  the  scent,  but 
by  being  subjected  to  chemical  process  are  found  to  yield 
alkali. 

In  the  vineyards  on  hills  and  declivities,  which  are  formed 
by  transverse  hedges,  walls,  and  ditches,  the  vigneron  collects 
every  year,  or  every  second  year,  the  earth  which  has  washed 
down  from  one  terrace  to  another,  in  order  that  it  may  be 
carried  up  again  and  replaced ;  this  custom  has  a  tendency 
also  to  enrich  the  soil  and  merits  general  adoption. 

Plaster  would  doubtless  be  beneficial  at  the  usual  distance 


MANURING.  291 

from  the  sea  coast  if  sprinkled  on  the  soil,  but  when  sprinkled 
on  the  leaves  it  is  supposed  it  would  be  injurious,  as  by  caus- 
ing- them  to  be  enlarged  to  a  great  degree,  it  might  retard  the 
maturity  of  the  fruit.  The  disadvantage  of  powerful  manures 
plentifully  applied,  must  be  considered  as  more  particularly 
affecting  the  grapes  of  very  delicate  flavour,  which  make  the 
finer  wines.  They  produce  little  or  no  effect  on  those  of  a 
coarser  and  more  common  character,  and  none  on  brandies. 
Being  therefore  a  most  powerful  auxiliary,  and  one  which  so 
greatly  increases  the  produce,  it  may  be  very  liberally  applied 
without  fear  of  injury,  except  in  the  case  first  mentioned. 

Ashes  may  be  classed  among  the  most  suitable  manures, 
and  from  its  plentifulness  and  cheapness  among  us,  may  always 
be  obtained  in  sufficient  quantities.  Its  use  is  deemed  advan- 
tageous both  to  mingle  with  the  earth  in  filling  up  the  holes  or 
trenches  where  the  vines  are  planted,  and  to  incorporate  with 
the  soil  in  the  various  operations  of  preparing  or  manuring  it. 
Its  value  may  be  justly  appreciated  from  its  similitude  to  vol- 
canic remains,  which  are  so  well  known  as  the  most  propitious 
soils  for  the  production  of  superior  wines. 

Where  the  vineyard  is  based  on  a  rocky  foundation,  moist- 
ened ashes  is  often  strewed  at  the  bottom  of  the  trenches,  and 
also  mixed  with  the  soil  used  in  filling  them  up,  as  it  serves  to 
maintain  the  freshness  and  looseness  of  the  ground,  and  to 
counteract  the  effects  of  reflected  heat. 

An  easy  method  of  forming  a  compost  suitable  for  vines, 
is  to  spread  layers  of  dung,  and  of  sods,  or  good  rich  mould, 
one  above  another,  which  should  remain  for  one  or  two  years 
previous  to  using,  during  the  latter  part  of  which  time,  it  should 
be  twice  or  thrice  turned  over,  and  the  parts  well  mixed  and 
incorporated  with  each  other.  Lime,  ashes,  dead  leaves,  and 
the  black  soil  found  in  forests,  formed  by  decomposed  parts 
of  vegetation,  are  most  valuable  additions  to  this  compost. 

Horn  shavings,  which  I  have  already  mentioned  as  an  ex- 
cellent manure,  may  be  obtained  at  the  comb  factories  in 
many  of  our  cities,  and  when  obtainable  at  a  reasonable  rate, 
say  at  two  or  three  cents  per  bushel,  should  be  purchased  for 


292  WATERING  VINEYARDS. 

the  purpose,  to  mingle  at  least  with  less  durable  manures. 
Blood  forms  a  very  powerful  manure,  and  should  not  be  ap- 
plied too  close  to  the  body  of  the  vine,  as  its  influence  is  so 
quickly  communicated  to  the  fruit. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Smith,  of  Lockport,  in  this  state,  remarks,  that 
he  has  found  coal  dust,  cinders,  and  scales  of  iron,  or  black 
oxide  of  iron  from  the  blacksmith's  forge,  when  properly  mixed 
with  fine  garden  mould,  to  be  incomparably  the  best  manure 
for  the  vine,  and  to  surpass  his  most  sanguine  expectations  ; 
he  was  led  to  make  the  experiment  from  the  well  known  fact, 
that  vines  thrive  best  in  volcanic  districts. 

Where  the  plants  languish  or  fail  to  flourish,  the  causes 
should  be  particularly  examined  into,  and  where  necessary, 
some  soil  of  a  different  nature  be  added ;  if  the  ground  be  too 
light  and  thin,  some  strong  rich  mould  should  be  dug  in  around 
them  ;  but  if  on  the  contrary,  it  is  heavy,  light  or  sandy  earth 
should  be  mixed  with  it ;  this  operation  should  take  place  in 
autumn. 

In  many  cases  where  vines  become  sickly,  and  their  leaves 
turn  yellow,  and  put  on  the  appearance  of  decay,  the  follow- 
ing method  of  manuring  them  may  be  beneficial  by  affording 
prompt  relief;  fill  some  casks  or  tubs  half  full  of  fresh  cow 
droppings,  and  the  remainder  part  with  water,  and  after  it 
has  stood  thus  for  two  or  three  days,  pour  off  the  water  and 
sprinkle  it  over  the  leaves,  and  around  the  roots  of  the  plants. 
I  think  this  much  superior  to  summer  manuring,  by  digging 
in  around  the  roots  of  the  vines,  a  course  that  is  particularly 
objectionable,  as  it  is  apt  to  disturb  the  young  roots  at  the 
principal  period  of  their  growth. 

Watering  vineyards. 

Pallas  states,  that  they  generally  water  their  vineyards  in 
the  Crimea,  and  it  is  sometimes  practised  in  the  environs  of 
Milan,  and  Olivier  remarks,  that  this  course  is  much  in  prac- 
tice in  Persia.  But  its  use  is  repelled  by  the  best  vignerons 
of  France,  &c.  from  the  great  injuries  which  arise  from  it ; 
for  where  the  vines  are  watered  the  juice  of  the  grape  becomes 


TILLAGE  OR  WORKING  OP  VINEYARDS.  293 

weak  and  vapid,  and  the  wine  consequently  inferior  in  body, 
flavour,  and  spirit.  Water  plentifully  applied  to  the  Isabella 
and  other  pulpy  native  grapes  at  the  time  of  their  changing 
colour,  and  continued  to  their  period  of  maturity,  is  said  to 
have  the  effect  of  dissolving  the  pulp. 

Where  vineyards  are  planted  on  a  rocky  bottom,  and  thereby 
subjected  to  injury  from  droughts,  it  were  adviseable  to  use 
the  augur  which  might  open  a  stream  of  water  capable  of 
rendering  great  and  permanent  benefit  to  the  vineyard, 

Tillage  or  working  of  vineyards. 

The  object  of  tilling  the  ground  is  the  development  of  its 
principles,  as  far  as  calculated  to  advance  the  particular 
species  of  vegetation  in  view,  which  necessarily  combines  the 
destruction  of  nauseous  weeds ;  and  the  loosening  and  lighten- 
ing of  the  soil,  in  order  to  render  it  permeable  to  the  air  and 
to  the  passage  of  the  roots,  and  to  admit  of  the  evaporation 
of  too  great  humidity.  For  these  various  operations  a  judi- 
cious discrimination  should  be  exercised  as  to  the  period  most 
suitable  for  each,  and  in  wine  countries  certain  general  rules 
have  been  adopted,  which  I  will  detail.  It  has  been  already 
mentioned,  that  at  the  time  of  flowering  no  work  should  be 
performed,  and  access  to  the  vineyard  should  not  be  allowed. 

New  plantations  require  particular  attention  to  the  tillage, 
both  on  account  of  the  great  necessity  of  increasing  by  every 
means  the  strength  and  vigour  of  the  young  vines,  and  to  de- 
stroy the  far  greater  profusion  of  wreeds  which  then  make  their 
appearance. 

Frequent  ploughings  are  very  beneficial,  and  in  this  early 
stage  of  the  vineyard  can  be  performed  without  danger  of 
injury  either  to  the  branches  or  the  roots,  which  the  great  ex- 
tension of  the  vines  in  after  years  may  prevent.  Four  plough- 
ings  should  therefore  be  annually  performed  the  first  and  se- 
cond years,  after  which  a  less  number  may  suffice. 

In  the  first  operations  of  tilling  a  young  vineyard,  a  small 
hollow  should  be  formed  around  each  vine  stock  tQ  catch  and 
retain  moisture  for  the  roots,  and  care  should  be  taken  at  all 


*294  TILLAGE  OR  WORKING  OF  VINEYARDS. 

after  labours,  that  this[hollow  remain,  or  that  it  be  formed  anew 
as  often  as  necessary. 

In  all  the  dressings  I  would  suggest  particular  care  not  to 
injure  or  cut  off  any  of  the  roots,  for  notwithstanding  we  have 
the  high  authority  of  Berneaud,  to  cut  up  and  destroy  the 
roots  next  the  surface,  1  must  entirely  dissent  from  its  pro- 
priety. In  accordance  writh  this  opinion,  the  digging  and 
hoeing  should  be  performed  lightly  immediately  around  the 
vine,  and  deeper  at  more  distance  from  it  in  order  to  preserve 
the  roots  near  the  surface,  for  I  have  yet  to  learn  from  M. 
Berneaud,  for  what  reasons  they  are  not  equally  as  beneficial 
to  the  vine  as  those  that  penetrate  to  a  greater  depth.  My 
own  opinion  is,  that  their  influence  is  more  immediately  felt 
by  the  vine,  as  they  so  quickly  profit  by  the  dews  and  light 
rains,  as  well  as  by  being  more  immediately  operated  upon  by  the 
atmosphere,  from  the  influences  of  all  which  the  lower  roots 
are  so  much  farther  removed. 

Vineyards  when  well  and  properly  worked,  require  four 
annual  tilling  operations;  the  first  is  ploughing,  when  the  ground 
should  be  as  deeply  worked  as  possible  ;  this  should  be  per- 
formed during  winter,  but  where  the  winter  frosts  are  too 
severe  to  allow  it,  it  must  be  done  late  in  autumn,  or  very 
early  in  the  spring ;  the  other  three  are  dressings  with  the 
spade  or  hoe,  during  summer  to  destroy  the  weeds.  The  first 
should  be  performed  some  days  previous  to  the  flowering,  the 
second  when  the  fruit  has  attained  about  one  third  its  size,  and 
the  third  when  it  commences  changing  to  the  colour  of  ma- 
turity. Some  vignerons  bestow  but  two  dressings  by  delaying 
the  second,  and  omitting  the  last,  but  the  advantages  gained 
by  three  dressings  are  more  than  equal  to  the  difference  of 
expense,  for  labour  is  equivalent  to  manure,  and  in  some 
places  where  even  four  summer  dressings  are  given,  they  find 
advantage  from  it.  High  trained  vineyards  from  the  manner 
of  their  arrangement  admit  fully  of  the  above  mode  of  treatment; 
but  in  most  of  the  low  trained  vineyards,  there  is  only  oppor- 
tunity for  once  tilling  during  the  summer  season,  for  when  the 
branches  have  spread  around,  there  is  danger  of  bruising  or 


TILLAGE  OR  WORKING  OP  VINEYARDS.  295 

breaking  them  and  of  injuring  the  fruit '.  two  ploughings 
would  in  such  case  be  advantageous,  one  in  the  fall  and  the  other 
early  in  the  spring  before  vegetation  commences,  and  the  dig- 
ging should  take  place  at  as  late  a  period  as  will  answer,  say 
the  middle  or  latter  part  of  August.  I  would  recommend 
however  that  in  adopting  any  species  of  arrangement  and  cul- 
ture for  a  vineyard,  such  course  be  pursued  as  will  allow  of 
several  summer  dressings  without  difficulty,  as  I  think  their 
advantages  too  great  to  be  passed  over  for  the  attainment  of 
any  other  object. 

Deep  tillage  is  particularly  required  in  loam  and  clay  soils, 
in  order  to  render  them  mellow  and  permeable.  Vines  attain 
sooner  to  perfection  in  light  soils  than  in  stiff  ones,  but  their 
duration  is  longer  in  the  latter. 

In  vineyards  on  hills  and  declivities,  it  is  proper  in  working 
them  to  throw  up  the  earth  as  much  as  possible,  instead  of  dig- 
ging it  down  as  is  often  done.  It  is  true,  the  labourer  has  a 
more  difficult  task,  but  by  this  course  the  upper  part  of  a  vine- 
yard will  not  be  stripped  of  its  soil.  Some  proprietors  in  order 
to  carry  the  advantage  as  far  as  possible,  considering  both 
circumstances,  have  the  ground  worked  diagonally,  a  course 
which  must  be  approved  of.  When  the  first  working  or 
digging  of  a  vineyard  is  done  from  east  to  west,  the  next 
should  be  from  west  to  east,  or  according  to  this  rule  in  what- 
ever direction  it  may  be.  The  two  or  three  latter  cleanings 
of  the  vineyard  are  called  weedings,  and  are  in  general  done 
with  the  hoe,  to  destroy  the  weeds  which  have  accumulated, 
and  which  would  extract  the  richness  of  the  soil,  injure  the 
ripening  of  the  fruit,  and  favour  the  influence  of  frosts.  It 
is  asserted  by  many  writers,  that  summer  culture  of  light  soils 
causes  the  evaporation  of  moisture,  and  renders  the  soil  more 
dry.  In  my  experience,  I  have  found  the  result  directly  the 
reverse.  By  digging  a  dry  soil  in  a  drought,  the  quantity 
of  moisture  seems  to  be  increased,  for  the  fertility  is  greater, 
and  the  plants  flourish  more  than  when  it  is  omitted. 

In  many  vineyards,  especially  those  of  Orleans,  the  earth 
is  made  more  elevated  in  the  line  containing  the  vines  than  in 


296  IMPLEMENTS  O*  LABOUR. 

the  intervals,  this  practice  is  beneficial  in  humid  soils;  but 
hear  Paris,  the  course  is  directly  the  reverse  ;  for  the  vines 
are  planted  in  trenches  which  do  not  get  filled  up  for  many 
years.  There  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  a  mode  of  working 
vineyards  which  merits  notice.  Immediately  after  the  poles 
are  taken  down,  which  is  in  November,  they  take  off  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  with  the  pick  axe,  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three 
inches,  and  form  this  earth  into  small  heaps  in  the  intervals 
between  the  vines.  After  the  pruning  is  completed,  which  is 
early  in  the  spring,  they  give  a  deep  digging  to  the  vines,  in 
which  operation  the  heaps  referred  to  are  scattered  again. 

Implements  of  labour. 

The  labour  bestowed  on  the  vine  varies  in  many  respects 
in  almost  every  vineyard.  In  many  of  the  southern  depart- 
ments of  France,  they  use  the  plough  ;  in  the  north,  the  hoe 
and  pick-axe  of  various  forms,  and  sometimes  even  the  spade 
and  pitch-fork.  The  plough  is  particularly  recommended  for 
economy,  and  next  to  it  no  instrument  expedites  the  work  as 
well  as  the  mattock  used  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  of  which 
the  iron  plate  is  a  foot  in  length,  and  six  inches  in  breadth,  and 
the  handle  bent  and  very  short ;  but  it  always  forces  the  la- 
bourer to  stoop  very  much  while  working,  and  fatigues  him 
extremely.  In  our  extensive  stores  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments, are  to  be  found  various  articles  applicable  to  the  vine 
culture,  among  which  one  called  the  "  Cultivator"  seemswell 
calculated  for  the  purpose,  others  are  so  constructed  as  to  per- 
form the  work  of  many  hoes  at  the  same  time,  and  at  a  com- 
paratively great  saving  of  labour.  I  merely  touch  on  this 
subject  to  awaken  the  minds  of  vignerons  to  a  proper  selec- 
tion, and  to  the  consideration  whether  we  may  not  select  more 
suitable  and  economical  implements  for  the  purpose  than 
such  as  are  usually  recommended  or  now  in  use. 

French  writers  state,  that  of  the  three  principal  sorts  of 
hoes,  that  which  has  a  square  iron  answers  best  for  compact 
soils,  where  there  are  few  stones ;  the  triangular  one  for  those 
of  the  same  character  that  are  stony,  and  that  with  two  or 

••!* 


OF  THE  ADVANCES  AND  DISBURSEMENTS,  ETC.  297 

three  forks  for  light  soils  that  are  stony  or  pebbly :  the  hoeing 
should  be  done  as  deep  as  possible,  and  requires  strong  la- 
bourers, being  the  severest  part  of  the  tillage.  The  small 
spade  with  the  iron  rounded,  is  also  considered  among  the 
most  expeditious  and  least  fatiguing  and  is  much  commended. 
In  conveying  new  earth  or  manure  to  the  different  parts  of  a 
vineyard,  the  wheel-barrow  seems  best  adapted  where  there  is 
not  space  sufficient  to  allow  the  passage  of  a  cart ;  and  where 
the  plantations*ire  on  the  sides  of  hills,  they  use  in  France, 
a  kind  of  scuttle-shaped  basket  which  is  found  convenient  for 
the  purpose.  Even  where  a  cart  can  pass  through  the  vine- 
yard, it  is  apt  by  its  weight,  and  the  trampling  of  the  horses,  to 
press  the  ground  too  much,  it  is  therefore  deemed  preferable 
to  use  it  only  to  transport  the  manure  to  the  outer  side  of  the 
vineyard,  whence  it  can  be  removed  by  wheel-barrows. 

Of  the  advances  and  disbursements  to  be  made  by  the  proprietor. 
The  wisest  course  that  can  be  pursued  by  the  proprietor  of  a 
vineyard,  is  to  superintend  it  himself  with  the  utmost  care,  and 
not  to  be  parsimonious  in  disbursements  for  the  annual  ad- 
vances. The  earth  returns  with  usurious  interest  the  treasures 
that  are  confided  to  it.  We  shall  hereafter  detail  some  o£the 
disadvantages  attendant  on  the  management  of  this  species 
of  property.  The  formation  of  vineyards  requires  nothing 
more  than  the  purchase  of  beasts,  of  implements  of  husbandry, 
of  vines,  &c.  which  being  primitive  expenditures  like  those 
attendant  on  grain  farms,  &ic.  it  will  be  only  requisite  to 
make  an  accurate  estimate ;  first,  of  the  annual  expenditures 
required  for  culture  ;  and  secondly,  of  the  returns  that  should 
be  derived  from  that  culture,  which  points  are  seldom  suffi- 
ciently understood.  The  former  comprises,  first,  the  price  to 
be  paid  the  vigneron  for  the  different  labours  which  he  is 
bound  to  bestow  on  each  acre  of  vines,  in  case  the  proprietor 
employs  another  to  oversee  and  conduct  his  vineyard;  secondly, 
the  poles  where  they  are  necessary  ;  third,  the  manure  when 
required  ;  fourth,  the  casks  commonly  used  ;  fifth,  the  ex- 
penses of  the  vintage  and  making  the  wine  at  the  press. 

38 


298  PAY  OP  THE  VIGNERON. 

The  proprietor  has  a  right  also  to  an  indemnity,  in  order 
to  make  amends  for  occasional  losses  by  any  extraordinary 
calamities,  such  as  hail,  insects,  &c.  because  these  injuries  form 
no  part  of  what  is  deemed  a  common  crisis.  To  cover  this 
indemnity  will  not  require  much  less  than  the  tenth  part  of  the 
total  medium  product. 

.-* 

Pay  of  the  Vigneron. 

There  are  some  districts  in  France,  where  it  is  customary 
to  give  the  vigneron  for  compensation,  the  third,  half,  or  two 
thirds  of  the  crop,  to  pay  all  the  expenses  and  labour  ;  and 
where  consequently  the  owner  receives  a  revenue  more  or  less 
according  to  the  produce.  But  this  course  seems  to  be  de- 
precated by  intelligent  French  writers,  who  say  that  the  result 
of  this  mode  of  arrangement  is  as  injurious  to  the  interest  of 
the  proprietor,  as  to  the  vigneron  and  even  to  the  vineyard 
itself.  For  in  such  cases  the  vines  are  often  badly  cultivated ; 
that  is  to  say,  the  vignerons  bestow  on  them  the  least  possible 
labour,  pay  no  attention  to  repairing  injuries  and  expend  no 
money,  insomuch  that  but  inferior  crops  can  be  realized  from 
them.  Cases  are  even  witnessed  where  the  vignerons,  con- 
trary to  the  desire  of  the  proprietors,  destroy  good  vines 
which  yielded  moderate  crops,  in  order  to  substitute  what  are 
called  grosses  races,  or  great  bearers,  which  yield  a  more 
abundant  produce,  but  make  bad  wine,  thus  evincing  no  con- 
cern whether  the  reputation  of  the  vineyard  is  injured  or  not. 

In  other  instances  the  vignerons  when  in  debt,  diminish  the 
value  of  the  wine  by  agreeing  to  sell  it  at  any  price,  and  thereby 
sacrifice  the  interest  of  the  proprietor.  It  is  consequently  far 
preferable,  as  has  been  recommended  in  another  place,  that  a 
vineyard  should  be  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  pro- 
prietor ;  or  if  it  is  not,  that  he  should  pay  a  vigneron  a  regu- 
lar compensation,  and  himself  make  the  advances  necessary 
for  its  management.  Doubtless,  however,  in  most  cases,  in 
the  formation  and  management  of  vineyards  in  our  own  coun- 
try, the  proprietor  and  the  vigneron  will  be  united  in  the  same 
person,  which  will  ensure  a  proper  attention  to  the  various 


WINTER  PROTECTION  OF  VINES.  299 

duties  required,  and  will  also  cause  a  saving  of  the  expense 
.of  one  family,  which  in  France  is  generally  intermediate 
between  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  and  those  who  labour 
in  it* 

Winter  protection  of  vines. 

The  considerations  attending  protection  against  the  rij 
gors  of  winter  will  be  necessarily  much  varied  according  to 
the  varieties  under  culture.  Our  native  varieties  so  far  as 
they  have  been  tested,  need  no  provisional  care  on  this  point; 
nevertheless  some  attention  to  it  may  be  required  hereafter  by 
a  part  of  the  vines  latterly  introduced  from  our  extreme  southern 
limits,  and  from  the  province  of  Texas.  At  present  however, 
we  have  only  to  consider  the  relative  hardihood  of  foreign  va- 
rieties, as  they  alone  necessarily  claim  our  attention  at  this  time. 
Many  of  these  will  support  our  severest  winters,  others  need 
particular  care,  or  they  perish  partially  or  totally.  But  this 
necessity  for  protection  varies  according  to  the  section  of  the 
union  in  which  the  vines  are  located.  Too  much  discrimina- 
tion cannot  be  exercised  in  selecting  judiciously  the  kinds  to 
compose  the  vineyard,  a  subject  which  has  been  already  dis- 
cussed ;  and  after  all  my  own  experiments  I  have  come  to  this 
conclusion,  that  to  establish  vineyards  of  the  most  profitable 
description,  with  a  certainty  of  regular  crops  in  localities  north 
of  the  highlands  in  this  state,  native  varieties  alone  should  be 
selected;  and  the  whole  of  the  eastern  states  will  of  course 
be  comprised  in  this  remark ;  for  although  vineyards  of 
foreign  vines  may  prosper,  the  annual  product  and  consequent 
profit,  and  above  all  the  certainty  and  regularity  of  crops 
would  be  much  less. 

Foreign  vines  from  Germany,  and  from  the  northern  and 
middle  departments  of  France,  support  the  winters  of  this 
latitude  after  attaining  two  year's  growth,  and  so  do  many  of 
the  varieties  from  more  southern  climes,  after  attaining  four  and 
five  year's  growth,  while  many»of  the  latter,  particularly  those 
from  the  Mediterranean,  perish  almost  totally  by  its  effects. 
But  even  the  most  hardy  kinds,  it  is  necessary  or  preferable 


300  GARDEN  CULTURE. 

should  be  protected  the  first  winter,  and  those  rather  less  hardy 
the  second  winter  also,  for  a  vine  of  a  year  old  will  frequently 
perish  by  cold,  when  one  of  the  same  variety  of  three  year's 
growth  will  remain  uninjured.  A  vineyard  in  a  northern  ex- 
posure where  the  frosts  are  very  severe  in  their  effects,  will  of 
course  want  more  effectual  protection  than  one  facing  the 
south.  Different  means  are  used  to  guard  vines  against  the 
cold  :  in  Denmark  the  vines  are  tied  up  with  evergreens  during 
winter,  which  may  be  an  eligible  course  where  the  stocks  are 
too  large  and  strong  to  be  bent  down.  The  use  of 'horse  and 
other  manure,  straw  and  litter  of  horses,  or  cattle,  is  objection- 
able, as  they  are  apt  to  becomfc  heated  during  warm  rains  or 
moist  weather,  and  thereby  create  serious  injuries.  The  more 
dry  and  cool  the  vines  are  kept,  the  better ;  for  which  reasons  the 
covering  of  the  vines  should  not  be  performed  until  the  warm 
weather  has  subsided,  and  should  be  removed  as  soon  as  the 
danger  of  severe  frosts  is  past.  For  the  purpose  of  covering 
I  prefer  common  sand,  as  it  keeps  the  vines  sufficiently  cool 
and  dry,  at  the  same  time  that  it  subserves  the  other  objects 
required.  The  following  directions  I  have  found  suited  to 
this  latitude,  and  they  can  be  modified  to  suit  any  other  : — 
In  the  course  of  the  month  of  November,  bend  each  vine  gently 
down,  and  if  long,  form  it  into  a  coil,  and  stake  it  to  keep  it 
In  its  place  ;  after  this,  proceed  to  cover  it,  hilling  the  sand  or 
earth  up  from  four  to  six  inches,  and  sloping  it  to  cast  off  the 
rain.  In  the  last  week  of  March,  the  vines  must  be  carefully 
uncovered,  and  trained  along  the  lattices,  or  tied  to  the  poles 
or  other  supports  designed  for  them.  These  directions  for 
covering  vines  during  the  winter,  are  only  necessary  for  the 
climate  north  of  the  Potowmac  ;  for  in  the  more  southern 
states,  no  protection  of  course  is  necessary. 

Garden  Culture. 

The  principal  differences  which  distinguish  the  garden 
culture  from  that  of  vineyards,  Js  the  greater  labour  and  atten- 
tion bestowed  on  the  former,  attended  with  a  degree  of  ex- 
pense which  the  latter  would  not  admit  of,  as  from  its  far 


GARDEN  CULTURE.  301 

greater  magnitude  and  extent,  a  degree  of  economy  is  rendered 
indispensably  necessary  in  the  details.  Another  is,  that  by 
means  of  garden  culture  the  vine  is  made  to  yield  fruit  for  the 
table  much  farther  north  ;  grapes  being  thereby  produced  in 
great  perfection  in  the  gardens  and  hothouses  of  Stockholm 
and  St.  Petersburgh. 

On  this  and  on  every  other  species  of  culture  there  exists 
a  contrariety  of  opinion.  I  shall  therefore  give  the  modes 
generally  adopted  as  the  most  advantageous.  It  seems  to  be 
the  general  opinion  that  trellises  for  training  vines  against  the 
sides  of  walls  should  be  placed  about  nine  inches  to  a  foot 
from  the  wall,  also  that  the  walls  should  be  painted  black  or 
tarred,  and  the  results  of  some  experiments  are  hereafter  given. 
I  will  further  remark  that  to  such  perfection  has  the  culture 
of  the  vine  attained  in  the  most  disadvantageous  climates,  that 
I  doubt  not  we  shall  ere  long  have  the  fig,  pomegranate 
and  other  southern  fruits  subjected  to  a  culture  based  on  si- 
milar principles  and  attended  with  equal  success.  The  authors 
of  the  Bon  Jardinier,  published  at  Paris,  give  as  the  climax 
of  the  art  of  cultivating  the  vine  on  trellises  or  walls  the  course 
practiced  at  Thomery,  a  village  near  Fontainbleau,  which 
supplies  the  markets  of  the  metropolis  with  the  most  delicious 
fruit  principally  of  the  White  Chasselas  variety. 

This  mode  of  culture  now  approbated  in  England,  wras  like 
many  other  improvements  not  adopted  there  until  a  considera- 
ble period  after  it  was  appreciated  and  pursued  in  this  country, 
and  the  very  figures  given  in  their  publications  in  regard 
to  the  mode  of  training,  &c.  were  anticipated  by  those  of  Mr. 
Dean,  deposited  at  the  office  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer ;  and  the 
Hon.  John  Lowell  very  justly  remarks,  that  to  us  "it  is  some 
satisfaction  to  perceive  that  the  English  cultivators  appreciate 
it  as  highly  as  we  did." 

With  the  original  work  now  before  me,  I  deem  it  altogether 
unnecessary  to  make  a  new  version,when  so  perfect  a  transla- 
tion exists,  as  that  made  by  Mr.  Lowell,  and  I  consequently  in- 
sert that  here,  accompanied  by  some  remarks  from  his  pen  ;  and 
I  feel  gratified  at  this  and  every  other  opportunity  of  paying 


302  CULTURE  Otf  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY. 

a  passing  tribute  to  one,  alike  to  be  reverenced  and  esteemed 
for  his  great  intelligence  on  the  subject  of  horticultural  science, 
for  his  general  urbanity  of  manners,  and  for  the  distinguished 
liberality  which  has  marked  his  course. 

The  practice  of  shortening  the  fruit  branches  is  often  adop- 
ted in  garden  culture  in  cold  localities,  and  sometimes  even  in 
vineyards,  as  stated  at  page  280,  its  object  being  to  cause  a 
greater  accumulation  of  the  sap  in  that  part  of  the  shoot  which 
supports  the  fruit,  and  to  prevent  its  exhaustion  by  a  great 
and  sometimes  unnecessary  extension  of  those  shoots ;  and  if 
these  branches  are  to  be  pruned  out  in  autumn,  and  their  places 
supplied  by  new  ones  the  ensuing  season,  their  great  extension 
is  of  no  use  whatever,  and  it  is  in  such  case  much  the  prefera- 
ble course  to  husband  the  sap  in  the  manner  before  named. 
This  operation  is  executed  in  cold  and  unfavourable  localities 
as  soon  as  the  berries  are  fully  formed,  and  in  others  when 
they  have  attained  two  thirds  or  nearly  their  full  size.  The 
period  should  be  selected  according  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  occasion,  which  should  also  have  their  influence  in  deciding 
upon  the  number  of  buds  or  joints  to  be  left  beyond  the  last 
cluster  of  fruit,  the  number  of  these  to  be  allowed  being  pro- 
portionably  greater  according  to  the  warmth  of  the  climate* 
the  duration  of  the  summer,  &c» 

Culture  of  the  Vine  at  Thomery. 

The  walls  against  which  they  train  their  vines  are  about 
eight  feet  high,  (Berneaud  says  seven)  and  are  covered  with  a 
coping  or  cornice  which  projects  about  nine  inches.  This  pro- 
tects the  vine  against  frosts  and  against  the  violence  of  rain, 
without  shading  it  too  much,  and  it  also  prevents  the  upper 
shoot  from  pushing  too  vigorously.  These  walls  are  furnished 
with  trellises,  the  upright  standards  of  which  are  two  feet  apart, 
the  sloat,  or  horizontal  pieces  or  rails,  nine  inches  apart,  and 
the  lower  one  six  inches  distant  from  the  ground. 

The  grape  border  along  this  wall  is  dug  and  manured  to 
the  width  of  five  feet  at  least,  and  to  the  depth  of  fifteen  dr 


CULTURE  OP  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY.  303 

eighteen  inches.  If  the  soil  is  wet,  they  slope  the  border  so  as 
to  throw  off  the  water  from  the  wall.  When  the  border  is 
prepared,  they  open  a  trench  at  four  feet  distance  from  the 
wall  and  parallel  to  it,  and  nine  inches  deep,  and  having 
ready  prepared  a  quantity  of  layers  or  cuttings  sufficient  for 
the  purpose,  they  lay  them  across  the  trench  at  the  bottom  with 
their  tops  towards  the  wall,  and  at  a  distance  of  twenty  inches 
from  each  other,  they  then  cover  them  with  four  or  five  inches 
of  soil,  and  tread  them  down,  at  the  same  time  raising  the 
upper  end  which  was  placed  towards  the  wall  nearly  to  a  per- 
pendicular, the  trenches  are  then  filled  two  thirds  full,  and  the 
residue  of  the  soil  spread  over  the  border  ;  they  next  put  into 
the  trench  three  inches  of  manure,  which  keeps  the  plants 
fresh  and  moist,  and  prevents  the  ground  from  becoming  dry 
and  hard.  In  March,  they  shorten  or  cut  in  the  plants  to  two 
eyes,  they  weed  and  dress  the  ground,  and  water  the  border 
the  first  season,  if  the  heat  of  the  weather  renders  it  necessary. 
Scions  and  young  plants  of  the  vine  require  a  moderate  degree 
of  moisture  to  aid  them  in  forming  their  roots.  The  young 
shoots  are  tied  to  props,  and  every  thing  done  that  is  necessary 
to  favour  their  growth.  The  following  season,  if  any  of  the 
vines  have  several  branches,  the'most  luxuriant  is  left,  and  all 
the  others  carefully  pruned  off.  The  vine  is  again  buried  in 
autumn,  in  the  same  manner  as  before  detailed,  and  in  this 
manner  the  culture  is  continued  until  the  shoot  retained  reaches 
the  wall.  Every  time  however  when  a  new  shoot  is  thus  laid 
down,  it  is  pruned  down  to  the  strong  and  perfect  wood,  well 
furnished  with  buds.  It  generally  requires  three  years  before 
the  vine  reaches  the  wall,  but  in  the  meantime,  it  produces 
annually  some  fine  clusters  of  fruit. 

We  now  come  to  the  formation  of  the  bearing  branches 
[cordons.']  If  the  wall  is  eight  feet  high,  you  should  make 
five  such  branches  on  each  side ;  the  first  six  inches  from  the 
ground,  and  the  four  others  eighteen  inches  apart  upon  the 
horizontal  rails  of  the  trellis  or  espalier,  arranged  previously 
so  as  to  effect  this  object.  The  stalk  destined  for  the  lowest 
bearing  branch  should  be  cut  off  just  at  the  height  of  the  shoot, 


304  CULTURE  OP  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY. 

if  it  has  at  that  place  a  double  eye  or  two  eyes.  If  it  has  not, 
you  must  cut  it  above  the  eye  which  is  next  above  the  lowest 
rail  of  the  trellis.  These  two  eyes  are  destined  to  furnish  the 
two  lowest  branches  (to  right  and  left)  on  the  lowest  rail  of 
the  trellis.  The  one  that  is  too  high  must  be  bent  down 
gently,  and  that  which  is  too  low,  trained  up  and  fastened  to 
the  trellis,  so  that  both  shall  be  in  the  some  horizontal  line. 
The  second  bearing  branch  [cordon]  being  at  two  feet  from 
the  ground,  cannot  be  formed  as  soon  as  the  first,  the  third 
will  be  still  later,  and  so  on.  Whatever  be  the  height  to  which 
you  propose  to  carry  your  stalk  or  stem,  you  ought  not  to 
advance  it  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  each  year,  and 
should  preserve  its  lateral  buds  to  increase  its  growth  and  fur- 
nish fruit.  But  as  soon  as  the  stem  has  reached  the  requisite 
height,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  suppress  and  cut  off  all 
lateral  buds  on  the  main  stem  throughout.  Let  us  now  sup- 
pose all  the  stems  arrived  at  the  requisite  or  proposed  height, 
and  that  their  two  last  or  upper  branches  are  extended  to  the 
right  and  left  to  form  the  two  arms  of  the  bearing  branches  : 
we  will  now  show  how  these  two  arms  or  branches  are  to  be 
cut  till  they  have  gained  the  length  of  four  feet  each.  The 
first  year  you  will  cut  so  as  to  have  three  good  eyes  from  four 
to  six  inches  apart.  Two  of  these  eyes  will  be  cut  so  as  to 
form  bearing  wood,  and  the  third  will  be  employed  to  lengthen 
the  branch.  Care  must  be  taken  to  train  vertically  the  shoots 
destined  to  bear  the  fruit.  At  the  second  cutting  the  bearing 
shoots  thus  trained  vertically  must  be  cut,  leaving  two  eyes  or 
buds  ;  and  the  terminal  branch  in  like  manner  must  be  so 
trimmed  as  that  there  will  be  three  eyes,  two  of  which  will  be 
reserved  for  bearers,  and  the  third  to  prolong  the  shoot  as  in 
the  former  year,  and  so  proceed  till  each  lateral  branch  shall 
have  attained  the  length  of  four  feet.  Each  branch  ought 
then  to  have  eight  bearing  eyes  or  shoots,  all  if  possible  on 
the  upper  side.  When  all  the  five  plants  shall  have  reached 
their  height  and  length,  you  will  have  on  a  surface  of  eight 
feet  square,  (or  sixty-four  square  feet,)  eighty  bearing  branches, 
which  being  pruned  to  two  eyes,  will  each  form  two  branches, 


CULTURE  OF  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY.  305 

bearing  two  bunches  each,  making  three  hundred  and  twenty 
bunches  on  eight  feet  square  of  surface." 

The  eyes  at  the  bottom  of  the  shoots  of  the  grape  are  very 
close  together  and  extremely  small.  There  are  no  less  than 
six  in  the  space  of  two  lines,  or  the  fifth  of  one  inch.  When 
you  cut  the  bearing  branch  long,  say  one  or  two  inches, 
these  little  eyes  become  extinct  and  do  not  push  ;  but  if  you 
cut  close  to  them,  they  grow  and  give  very  beautiful  bunches. 
Able  gardeners  are  well  aware  of  this,  they  frequently  cut  at 
a  distance  of  one  line  only  or  even  less.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  these  branches  never  become  long  under  their  manage- 
ment. 

Those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  the  vine,  cannot 
conceive  how  a  bearing  branch  shall  have  given  fruit  for 
twenty  years,  and  not  be  at  the  end  of  the  time  an  inch  long.  If 
there  be  more  than  two  buds  that  start  from  the  same  branch, 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  suppress  or  pinch  off  the  surplus  even 
if  they  have  clusters  on  them.  It  is  necessary  to  treat  the  young 
shoots  very  tenderly  in  training,  because  they  easily  break  off 
when  they  are  young.  You  ought  not  to  force  them  into  a 
vertical  position  till  the  berry  of  the  grape  is  large  ;  till  then 
all  you  have  to  do  is  to  take  off  all  shoots  which  have  no 
grapes,  to  break  off  tendrils,  and  to  pinch  off  the  extremities 
of  the  bearing  shoots  after  the  flowering  has  past,  in  case  they 
grow  too  long.  When  the  grape  has  nearly  attained  its  size, 
it  is  beneficial  to  water  the  fruit  from  a  rose  waterpot  in  a  man- 
ner resembling  rain.  This  makes  the  skin  tender  and  increases 
the  size  of  the  berries.  You  gradually  uncover  the  fruit  and 
expose  it  to  the  sun  to  heighten  the  colour  and  improve  the 
flavour.  If  you,  wish  to  leave  it  out  till  after  frost,  you  may 
cover  the  bunches  with  paper  bags,  which  are  of  use  also  in 
protecting  them  from  insects  and  birds. 

We  admire,  (says  the  Bon.  Jardinier,)  as  many  others  do,  those 
branches  of  the  vine,  which  are  carried  to  two  hundred  feet  in 
length,  and  we  admit  that  there  are  parts  of  a  wall,  which  can 
only  be  covered  by  branches,  the  roots  of  which  are  very  distant, 
but  we  know,  that  when  a  branch  has  extended  beyond  a  cer- 

39 


306  CULTURE  OP  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY. 

tain  distance,  it  no  longer  gives  fine  bunches,  but  at  its  ex- 
tremities; the  spurs  at  the  centre  no  longer  produce  any  thing 
but  small  clusters,  and  soon  die  of  inanition.  This  inconve- 
nience doubtless  occurred  to  the  Thomery  gardeners,  and  by 
an  admirable  calculation,  they  fixed  upon  the  length  of  eight 
feet  for  each  vine.  It  follows  from  this  arrangement,  that  the 
sap  is  equally  distributed  to  all  the  spurs,  and  that  all  the 
bunches  are  well  nourished,  and  more  beautiful. 

We  should  also  here  remark,  that,  though  the  branches  at 
Thomery  are  only  eight  feet  long,  they  do  not  throw  out  ex- 
traordinary shoots,  because  the  plants  being  set  at  twenty 
inches  only  apart  from  each  other,  their  roots  dispute  or 
contend  with  one  another  for  nourishment.  The  cover  of 
the  wall  also  extending  over  the  vine  nine  or  ten  inches,  con- 
tributes to  check  the  growth,  consequently  the  vine  uninjured 
by  any  excess  yields  fruit  with  all  the  qualities  which  it  is  sus- 
ceptible of  acquiring. 

"  Such"  says  the  translator,  "  is  the  strong,  and  to  my 
understanding,  the  sound  language  of  men,  living  in  a  country 
which  has  cultivated  the  grape  ever  since  the  invasion  of 
Julius  Caesar,  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  and  which 
raises  one  million  of  pounds  of  grapes,  for  every  pound  raised 
in  England  and  America  united.  In  revising  the  English 
and  French  authorities  on  the  culture  of  the  vine,  the  result  is^ 
that  in  the  British  works  I  find  nothing  but  chaos,  and  as  you 
would  naturally  expect  from  people  who  raise  the  grape  as  a 
luxury  only,  no  two  writers  agree  with  each  other  as  to  the  pro- 
per mode  of  training  or  pruning,  and  every  new  writer  from 
Hitt  to  Hay  ward,  has  his  own  scheme.  I  would  not  intimate, 
that  in  forcing  grapes  the  English  gardeners  are  not  eminently 
successful,  but  they  are  so  in  twenty  different  ways.  They 
are  so  attentive,  so  neat,  so  utterly  indifferent  to  expense,  that 
success  is  hardly  to  be  avoided.  In  France,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  an  affair  of  subsistence ;  it  is  the  great  staple  of 
their  whole  country,  even  to  the  north  of  Paris ;  yes,  to  a 
latitude  four  degrees  north  of  Quebec. 

"  The  Thomery  gardeners  have  adopted  the  most  economi- 


CULTURE  OF  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY.  307 

cal,  and  the  most  simple  mode  of  training.  It  is  a  point 
susceptible  of  mathematical  demonstration,  that  no  mode  of 
training  but  the  horizontal  one  can  give  so  great  an  extent  of 
bearing  wood  without  interference.  The  horizontal  mode  of 
training  has  one  other  good  effect ;  it  checks  the  tendency  to 
useless,  injurious,  and  enormous  growth." 

We  have  every  reason  for  supposing  that  these  small  and 
almost  invisible  buds  are  really  the  most  fruitful  ;  for,  even  in 
the  old  mode  of  pruning,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  lower- 
most good  buds  produce  fruit  first,  when  the  vines  commence 
bearing. 

"  To  me,"  says  the  translator,  "  some  of  the  remarks  of  the 
writer  are  wholly  new  and  truly  surprising.  I  had  no  idea 
that  the  small  and  almost  invisible  buds  at  the  root  of  the 
branch  were  those  which  produced  the  exquisite  grapes  sold 
in  Paris,  under  the  name  of  Chasselas  de  Fontainbleau.  It  is 
true,  that  last  year  I  thought  I  had  discovered  an  anomaly  in 
the  grape.  I  found  a  fine  shoot  filled  with  fruit  growing  ap- 
parently out  of  the  side  of  an  old  branch  as  big  as  a  man's 
wrist.  I  deemed  it  so  strange  that  I  was  upon  the  point  of 
asking  some  friends  to  come  and  see  it,  but  upon  examining 
it  more  closely,  I  found  that  there  had  been  a  shoot  there  the 
year  before,  which  the  gardener  intended  to  extirpate,  but  did 
not  rub  off  at  its  base.  It  is  these  buds  scarcely  visible,  that 
furnish  the  fruit.  To  show  the  productiveness  of  the  vine 
in  some  certain  cases,  Mr.  L.  states  at  a  different  time,  that  he 
had  at  the  extremity  of  one  branch,  ten  pairs  of  bunches,  fully 
ripened,  growing  in  the  space  of  one  foot." 

The  following  additional  particulars  in  regard  to  the 
Thomery  culture  may  be  interesting : — Along  the  walls  at 
three  feet  distant  from  each  other  are  iron  hooks  soldered  with 
lead  to  support  the  braces  of  the  trellis.  The  trellis  is  formed 
by  nine  horizontal  slats,  or  lattices,  fastened  by  iron  braces  to 
the  hooks  above  mentioned,  and  on  these  are  trained  the 
main  branches  of  the  vine.  The  perpendicular  supports  are 
about  two  feet  in  height,  and  fastened  to  the  horizontal  ones 


308  CULTURE  OP  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY. 

by  strong  iron  wire.  The  vine  shoots  are  generally  tied  to 
the  different  parts  of  the  trellis  with  old  soaked  rushes. 

When  the  heat  of  the  summer  is  past,  and  the  benefit  to  be 
derived  from  the  foliage  is  nearly  suspended,  a  part  of  the 
leaves  that  hide  the  grapes  from  the  sun  are  taken  off,  which 
allows  the  fruit  to  become  more  highly  coloured.  The  Tho- 
mery  cultivators  deem  an  easterly  exposition  the  most  favour- 
able, on  which  the  sun  shines  until  one  or  two  o'clock. 

In  order  to  hasten  the  formation  of  new  plantations  against 
walls,  many  persons  use  at  the  commencement  rooted  vines 
that  have  been  propagated  in  baskets,  by  which  means  a  crop 
is  obtained  much  sooner  than  by  cuttings. 

Another  mode  of  culture  adopted  by  many  of  our  intelligent 
cultivators,  is  detailed  in  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Re- 
pository, from  which  I  make  the  following  extracts.  After 
going  through  the  preparatory  culture  for  the  first  three  years 
in  rearing  young  vines  from  cuttings,  and  concluding  the  la- 
bours of  the  last  one,  by  leaving  two  shoots  to  each  vine,  the 
weaker  one  with  two  eyes  and  the  stronger  with  three  eyes, 
the  writer  commences  the  fourth  year  thus  : — If  you  keep  your 
vines  properly  dressed,  you  may  have  your  first  fruits  without 
injury  to  your  plants.  After  this  the  system  to  be  pursued 
must  depend  on  the  strength  of  your  vines,  and  this  will  de- 
pend on  the  goodness  of  the  soil  and  the  care  you  take  of  your 
plants.  But  as  a  general  rule,  the  following  points  must  be 
attended  to. 

"  1.  The  number  and  length  of  your  fruit  branches  must 
always  depend  on  the  strength  of  your  plant,  the  wood  branches 
are  always  to  be  cut  down  to  two  eyes. 

2.  No  more  branches  should  be  left  on  the  vine  than  it  can 
nourish  well,  and  abundantly ;  this  will  depend  on  its  age, 
and  the  soil  in  which  it  grows. 

3.  The  branches  should  be  cut  in  alternately  for  wood  and 
fruit  branches,  observing  to  cut  for  wood  branches  as  low 
down  on  the  plant  as  possible,  so  as  to  renew  your  wood  near 
the  bottom  annually.    No  shoots  should  be  permitted  to  grow 
from  the  old  wood,  unless  wanted  for  this  purpose. 


CULTURE  OP  THE  VINE  AT  THOMERY.  309 

4.  No  more  shoots  should  be  permitted  to  grow  than  can 
be  laid  in  clear  and  handsome,  and  without  confusion  on  the 
trellis,  and  so  as  to  admit  the  sun  and  air  freely  among  the 
branches. 

5.  The  laterals  should  be  rubbed  out  of  the  wood  branches 
six  or  eight  eyes  high,  and  those  that  are  permitted  to  remain 
should  be  pinched  in  to  one  bud.     The  laterals  on  the  fruit 
branches  should  be  rubbed  out  from  the  insertion  of  the  shoot 
to  the  uppermost  fruit  inclusive,  and  the  others  pinched  in  as 
above.     If  the  shoots  are  very  strong,  the  upper  laterals  may 
be  allowed  to  grow,  to  take  up  a  greater  portion  of  the  sap  ; 
but  this  should  not  be  done  unless  there  is  danger  of  the  eyes 
bursting  in  the  main  shoots.     Be  careful  always  to  keep  the 
shoots  tied  up  near  their  top. 

6.  Never  leave  more  than  five  good  eyes  on  a  fruit-bearing 
branch,  unless  your  vine  is  confined  to  a  narrow  space,  and 
you  are  obliged  to  preserve  only  two  or  three  fruit  branches ; 
in  this  case  the  length  of  the  branch  must  correspond  to  the 
nourishment  it  will  receive  from  the  plant.    Select  the  roundest 
and  fairest  branches  for  fruit,  and  the  lowest  and  most  feeble 
for  wood.     The  closer  the  buds  are  together,  or  the  shorter 
the  joints  of  the  branch,  the  better  they  are  for  fruit ;  these 
may  in  general  be  cut  to  three,  four,  or  five  eyes  according 
to  their  strength.     But  in  vineries  covered  with  glass,  where 
two  fruit-bearing  branches  only  are  left  on  strong  vines  ; — 
twenty,  thirty,   and  forty  buds  are  sometimes  left  on  fruit 
branches. 

The  foregoing  rules  will  be  sufficient  for  any  one  to  form 
a  vineyard  sufficiently  large  to  supply  himself — his  friends, 
and  the  market  with  grapes." 

In  cultivating  vines  to  form  bowers,  cover  arbours,  &e.  such 
one  of  the  modes  of  training  can  be  adopted  as  may  best  suit 
the  purpose  of  the  cultivator,  and  such  varieties  of  vines  be 
selected  as  best  accord  to  the  locality. 


310  HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OP  VINES. 

Painting  walls  black. 

This  course  appears  to  be  very  conducive  towards  advanc- 
ing the  maturity  of  fruit.  Mr.  Daws,  of  Slough,  near  Windsor, 
has  made  the  experiment  of  painting  a  wall  covered  by  a  vine, 
one  half  black,  and  leaving  the  other  half  in  its  usual  state. 
That  part  of  the  vine  which  covered  the  black  wall  ripened 
the  grapes  earlier,  and  yielded  about  three  times  the  weight 
of  fruit  that  the  other  half  produced.  A  writer  in  the  N. 
E.  Farmer  also  remarks,  that  "  experience  has  proved  that 
a  vine  of  an  uncommon  size,  which  even  in  the  hottest  years 
would  not  produce  any  ripe  fruit,  has  for  several  years  (since 
this  practice  was  adopted)  regularly  yielded  the  finest  grapes, 
and  that  all  other  fruits,  the  trees  producing  which  are  planted 
against  the  black  wall  ripen  much  sooner  than  those  in  the 
neighbourhood."  A  correspondent  recommends  substituting 
for  paint,  a  tar  composition,  on  account  of  its  smell  being  so 
offensive  to  insects.  This  is  formed  by  an  union  of  charcoal 
four-fifths,  and  slaked  lime  one-fifth,  mixed  with  tar ;  and  is 
to  be  applied  hot. 

Hothouse  culture  of  vines. 

Speechly  remarks  that  every  hothouse  intended  for  grapes 
should  be  either  built  on  a  dry  soil  or  where  the  situation 
will  allow  of  its  being  made  so.  If  the  ground  be  wet  or  the 
soil  inappropriate,  the  necessary  measures  should  be  adopted 
to  change  their  character,  by  forming  drains  to  carry  off  the 
water,  and  by  either  mixing  other  soils  with  the  natural  earth 
so  as  to  give  to  it  the  requisite  adaptation,  or  by  a  removal  of 
the  local  earth,  and  replacing  it  with  that  suitable  to  the  pur- 
pose. The  first  operation  necessary  is  the  formation  of  the 
bed  into  which  the  vines  are  to  be  planted  immediately  in  front 
of  the  building.  This  should  extend  its  whole  length  with  a 
depth  of  two  feet,  and  a  breadth  of  six  feet,  and  a  variation  of 
dimension  in  the  latter  respect  by  contraction  or  extension  will 
be  attended  with  correspondent  effect  on  the  vines  and  their 
product.  Having  prepared  a  space  of  the  dimensions  desig- 


HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OP  VINES.  311 

nated,  and  the  natural  soil  being  entirely  removed  therefrom, 
I  would  advise  covering  the  bottoms  with  a  layer  of  gravel 
one  or  two  inches  thick  to  drain  off  superabundant  moisture, 
after  which  it  should  be  filled  with  a  mixture  of  such  soils  and 
manures  as  are  best  calculated  to  secure  the  object  in  view, 
full  information  relative  to  which  will  be  found  under  their 
respective  heads. 

Speechly  prescribes  the  following  mixture  as  most  proper 
for  the  purpose,  and  states  that  it  is  the  same  as  was  used  in 
planting  the  famous  vine  at  Welbeck.  "  One  fourth  part  of 
garden  mould  (a  strong  loam),  one  fourth  of  the  swarth  or  turf 
from  a  pasture  where  the  soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  one  fourth  of 
the  sweepings  and  scrapings  of  pavements  and  hard  roads, 
one  eighth  of  rotten  cow  and  stable-yard  dung  mixed,  and  one 
eighth  of  vegetable  mould  from  reduced  and  decayed  foliage." 
The  swarth  should  be  laid  in  a  heap  till  the  grass  and  roots 
decay  and  then  be  turned  over  and  broken  with  a  spade,  after 
which  it  should  be  added  to  the  other  materials,  and  the  whole 
be  worked  together  until  the  several  parts  become  perfectly 
well  mixed  and  incorporated.  If  this  compost  be  mixed  some 
time  previous  to  use,  it  will  be  the  better,  but  if  time  will  not 
permit  that,  they  can  be  mixed  as  well  as  possible  by  working 
them  over  at  the  time.  Many  persons  make  use  of  a  much 
more  simple  mixture  of  materials,  and  take  only  one  half  good 
garden  mould  and  one  half  well  rotted  manure,  which  are 
either  well  mixed  up  beforehand  or  spread  in  layers  whilst 
forming  the  bed,  and  mixed  up  as  well  as  possible  at  the  time 
of  the  operation.  Were  I  to  suggest  a  variation  I  would 
recommend  the  following :  one  fourth  strong  garden  loam, 
one  fourth  light  sandy  loam,  one  fourth  decomposed  vegetable 
mould  from  swamps  or  woodlands,  and  one  fourth  well  rotted 
manure. 

After  the  bed  has  been  filled  up  with  this  prepared  soil,  it 
is  better  it  should  remain  some  time  to  settle  previous  to  plant- 
ing the  vines  ;  or  if  the  vines  are  planted  immediately,  an  al- 
lowance should  be  made  of  two  or  three  inches  for  the  settling 
of  the  ground,  and  consequently  of  the  plant  itself.  The 


312  HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OP  VINES. 

vines  selected  for  the  purpose  of  planting  in  this  bed  should 
have  each  one  shoot  of  vigorous  well  ripened  wood  three  and 
a  half  to  four  feet  in  length,  the  part  above  this  length  being 
pruned  off.  In  planting  the  vines,  the  same  measures  are  to 
be  pursued  as  in  other  cases,  always  remembering  that  the 
more  carefully  the  operation  is  performed,  and  the  more  ap- 
propriate the  preparation  of  the  ground,  the  more  prompt  and 
satisfactory  will  be  the  results.  The  shoots  are  to  be  con- 
ducted through  small  holes  made  or  left  for  the  purpose  under 
each  rafter,  and  if  the  extreme  end  of  the  shoot  will  reach  the 
lower  end  of  the  rafter  inside,  it  will  be  all  that  is  necessary* 
As  the  eyes  or  buds  are  liable  to  be  injured  in  leading  them 
through  these  apertures,  it  is  best  to  put  a  little  moss  around 
the  upper  part  of  the  stem,  and  to  wrap  over  this  two  or  three 
folds  of  paper  which  can  be  tied  round  with  bass  matting,  and 
should  be  removed  when  it  has  attained  its  position,  and  the 
end  of  the  shoot  can  then  be  carefully  fastened  to  the  rafter. 

The  summer  clipping  or  trimming  and  other  operations  at 
that  season,  are  the  same  as  prescribed  in  the  general  direc- 
tions on  that  subject.  The  pruning  is  the  operation  which 
here  requires  the  most  notice  ;  and  Speechly  remarks  that  the 
period  when  the  leaves  of  the  vines  begin  to  fall  is  the  best 
for  its  performance,  which  in  a  hothouse  generally  happens  in 
December,  and  in  relation  thereto  he  recommends  the  follow- 
ing course  : — At  the  first  year  of  pruning,  if  the  vines  are  of 
great  vigour  and  have  grown  remarkably  strong,  one  shoot 
may  be  left  the  whole  length  of  the  rafter  if  not  over  twenty 
feet,  and  the  other  pruned  down  to  three,  four,  or  five  buds, 
but  where  the  vines  are  only  of  moderate  growth,  the  principal 
shoot  should  be  only  half  the  above  length.  The  intent  of 
this  mode  of  pruning  is,  that  the  former  should  produce  fruit, 
and  the  latter  make  wood  for  the  ensuing  season,  and  the  rule 
is  to  train  each  of  the  shoots  to  a  separate  rafter.  At  the  se- 
cond pruning  the  branch  that  has  borne  fruit  is  cut  down  to 
three  or  four  eyes,  and  the  new  formed  branch  is  allowed  the 
length  requisite  for  a  bearing  shoot. 

However,  when  any  of  the  vines  appear  weak  and  have  not 


HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OP  VINES.  313 

made  shoots  more  than  eight  to  ten  feet  long,  it  will  be  best  to 
prune  all  of  them  down  to  two,  three,  or  four  eyes,  in  order 
that  the  vine  may  form  stronger  growths  the  ensuing  year. 
The  principal  object  to  be  considered  in  pruning  is  to  keep 
each  of  the  rafters  furnished  with  a  vigorous  shoot,  every  other 
one  of  which  is  for  fruit  bearing,  and  the  intervening  ones  to 
form  wood  for  a  successive  crop.  Young  vines  are  only  al- 
iQwed  to  furnish  one  bearing  shoot,  but  those  of  large  size  and 
;great  vigour  may  be  made  to  cover  a  number  of  rafters  in 
proportion  to  their  strength.  In  general  cases  however,  but 
two  fruit-bearing  branches  are  left,  which  in  pruning  are  often 
allowed  twenty,  thirty,  and  forty  buds  to  each.  Where  it  is 
desirable  to  have  a  fruit  bearing  branch  to  each  rafter,  the 
shoots  intended  to  form  wood  can  be  trained  in  the  interme- 
diate space,  if  that  is  sufficient  for  the  purpose,  or  in  any  other 
direction  not  otherwise  occupied.  The  houses  are  generally 
warmed  by  flues  of  the  usual  construction,  but  they  may  be 
very  eligibly  heated  by  steam  without  increasing  the  expense. 
Genera]  Derby,  of  Salem,  has  his  house  heated  by  hot  water 
after  the  manner  recommended  by  Loudon. 

There  is  much  less  expense  attendant  on  erecting  houses 
for  this  object  than  is  generally  supposed,  as  they  may  be  built 
upon  a  very  cheap  construction,  and  they  will  serve  at  the 
same  time  for  the  protection  of  pots  of  greenhouse  plants 
which  can  occupy  the  ground  floor.  In  the  sequel  of  the 
work,  I  shall  insert  different  plans  for  their  construction, 
with  the  comparative  expense  of  each,  and  especially  of  one 
of  the  cheapest  description,  which  is  much  in  use  around 
Boston. 

In  relation  to  any  other  points  necessary  to  be  understood 
in  this  species  of  culture,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  several 
heads,  where  they  are  amply  discussed. 

The  numerous  grapehouses  and  the  extent  of  the. garden 
culture  of  the  vine  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  far  surpass  the 
advances  made  in  any  other  locality  of  the  union.  These 
not  only  form  the  means  of  private  supply  to  their  owners,  but 
afford  a  great  abundance  for  the  public  markets,  and  during  a 

40 


314  HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OF  VINES. 

visit  to  that  place  in  the  autumn  of  1829,  I  heard  it  computed 
that  the  quantity  of  choice  table  grapes,  the  produce  of  that 
season  in  the  environs  of  the  city,  would  amount  to  one  hundred 
thousand  pounds,  which,  considering  its  northern  locality,  and 
the  infancy  of  this  mode  of  culture  in  our  country,  is  certainly 
a  degree  of  progress  worthy  of  our  admiration. 

A  marked  intelligence  and  skill  seemed  to  every  where 
exist  among  the  votaries  of  this  interesting  culture  ;  and  from 
one  of  those  who  seemed  pre-eminent  in  the  success  of  his 
course  of  management,  I  recently  solicited  the  details  of  the 
practice  he  had  adopted,  which  I  now  have  the  satisfaction  of 
transcribing,  at  the  same  time  commending  to  those  interested 
in  the  subject,  the  good  sense,  discernment,  and  intelligence 
which  distinguish  the  whole  course  of  the  remarks. 

"The  success  I  have  had  is  to  be  ascribed  to  some  care  in 
the  first  instance,  in  preparing  my  borders.  The  compost  is 
in  no  part  less  than  two  feet  in  depth.  As  to  the  ingredients 
of  this  compost,  they  were  such  as  are  recommended  in  the 
standard  works  for  the  vine.  Since  my  vines  came  into  a 
bearing  state,  the  soil  has  been  further  enriched  by  a  liberal 
allowance  of  stable  manure  spread  and  dug  in  during  the  au- 
tumn every  year.  In  this  way  a  vigorous  growth  of  the  vine 
has  been  secured.  To  ensure  fruit  in  great  abundance  and 
also  of  good  quality,  I  have  given  much  attention  all  through 
the  season  to  close  dressing — keeping  the  vines  clear  of  super- 
fluous wood ;  by  extirpating  in  the  first  place,  the  lateral 
shoots  from  the  fruit-bearing  branches  ;  and  secondly,  by  top- 
ping these  last,  all  but  the  leading  one,  at  a  point  a  few  eyes 
above  the  fruit,  and  the  leading  shoot  also  when  it  has  attained 
such  a  length,  that  there  is  little  danger  of  the  bursting  of  such 
buds  as  are  wanted  for  the  following  year.  Whether  the  cane 
or  the  fan  shape  be  the  better  form  for  the  vine  to  afford  the 
greatest  quantity  and  best  quality  of  fruit,  I  have  as  yet  no 
settled  opinion.  My  vines  have  all  been  trained  in  the  latter 
form.  The  English  gardeners,  generally,  I  believe,  prefer 
the  cane  form :  those  with  whom  I  have  conversed  on  the  sub- 
ject say,  that  by  their  method  they  get  as  much  or  more  fruit 


HOTHOUSE  CULTURE  OF  VINES.  315 

with  less  wood  on  the  vines.  If  they  are  correct,  I  should  be 
inclined  to  give  the  cane  training  the  preference,  especially 
if  the  fruit  obtained  be  as  large  and  fine  ;  but  of  this  I  have 
some  doubt.  I  intend  to  make  a  fair  experiment  of  the  two 
methods. 

"  After  the  vine  comes  into  leaf  in  the  spring,  there  is  no 
longer  any  danger  of  bleeding  from  pruning.  From  this  period, 
I  have  allowed  myself  to  cut  out  during  the  growing  season, 
any  quantity  of  superfluous  wood,  the  present  years'  shoots 
for  example,  which  were  expected  to  give  fruit,  but  have  none. 
Indeed  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  I  am  accustomed  to  leave 
more  shoots,  and  some  of  them  of  a  greater  length,  than  they 
should  be  according  to  common  rules  for  the  coming  season, 
which  are  to  be  left  or  taken  away  at  the  blossoming  time,  as 
they  promise  to  be  frukful  or  not,  or  as  may  be  expedient  in 
laying  in  the  branches  at  the  training.  By  this  practice  my 
chance  of  a  good  crop  is  more  certain  of  course  than  it  would  be 
were  I  to  leave  no  more  shoots  at  the  autumn  pruning  than  I 
expected  to  preserve  the  following  season.  I  attach  no  little 
importance  to  frequent  pruning  during  summer,  looking  over 
the  vines  once  in  a  fortnight  or  oftener,  and  cutting  out  strag- 
gling shoots,  if  any  there  be.  Of  this  I  make  now  a  particular 
mention,  because  I  think  I  have  noticed  that  cultivators  of  the 
vine  are  apt  to  neglect  pruning  wholly  for  weeks  together,  and 
the  consequence  of  this  neglect  is,  that  the  bearing  wood  re- 
served for  the  following  season  is  not  so  strong  as  it  would 
otherwise  be ;  nor,  as  I  think,  can  the  fruit  of  the  next  year 
be  so  fine.  In  estimating  a  crop  we  sometimes,  indeed  most 
commonly,  are  contented  to  enumerate  the  bunches  of  fruit ; 
paying  no  regard  to  the  weight,  when  in  fact,  as  we  all  know, 
a  few  clusters  only  of  large  berries,  all  well  grown,  are  worth 
a  great  many  bunches,  the  fruit  of  which  is  but  imperfectly 
filled,  and  of  which  a  considerable  part  of  the  berries  wholly 
fail.  Insufficient  pruning  is  probably  one  cause  of  this  par- 
tial failure  of  the  fruit.  So  also  we  see  often  a  luxuriant 
blossom  on  the  native  vine  in  a  wild  state,  and  no  fruit  attain- 
ing to  perfection,  or  if  any  but  a  small  quantity  in  proportion 


316  DIFFICULTIES  ATTENDANT  ON  VINE  CULTURE. 

to  the  promise  in  the  early  part  of  the  season.  As  a  protection 
of  the  vine  against  the  ravages  of  insects,  and  injury  by  mil- 
dew, I  have  found  the  sulph'ur  wash,  now  generally  known, 
effectual.  Nor  is  the  use  of  it,  as  far  as  I  can  perceive  attend- 
ed with  any  injurious  consequences  to  vegetation.  The  grape, 
with  such  care  as  I  bestow,  and  so  much  I  think  neither  bur- 
thensome  nor  expensive,  is  as  sure  a  crop  as  any  other  of 
the  more  delicate  fruits.  Shelter  from  cold  winds  is  impor- 
tant, and  I  would  by  no  means  venture  to  express  so  much 
confidence  as  to  the  certainty  of  the  crop  in  our  climate, 
without  this  advantage.  My  own  garden  is  protected  by  hills 
on  the  north  and  east.  My  vines  are  all  of  the  imported 
kinds  except  one  of  the  Isabella,  which  I  have  planted  as  a 
curiosity  on  account  of  its  singular 'productiveness.'* 

« 

Difficulties  attendant  on  the  vine  culture — Natural  causes — Errors 
in  management — Political  causes — Ability  of  the  proprietor — 
Attacks  of  insects,  <SfC. 

First,  in  regard  to  natural  causes,  the  vine  is  subject  to 
numerous  accidents,  which  often  render  it  unproductive  during 
several  successive  years,  it  being  necessary  nevertheless  to  be- 
stow on  it  the  same  attentions  as  if  it  had  yielded  its  crops. 
Added  to  which  when  there  happens  a  season  of  great  abun- 
dance, the  price  of  the  wine  declines  so  much  that  the  sale  of 
the  crop  will  not  always  reimburse  the  advances  of  previous 
years. 

Errors  of  culture  relate  to  cases  where  the  vineyards  are 
badly  located  as  regards  soil  and  exposure,  where  the  vines 
are  badly  selected,  or  where  the  tillage,  the  pruning,  and  the 
training  of  the  vines  are  so  badly  executed,  that  they  do  not 
yield  sufficient  to  reimburse  the  expenses  they  occasion.  It 
might  also  be  added  that  the  passion  for  vineyards  is  such 
that  in  some  districts  of  France,  there  are  not  people  enough 
of  other  professions  to  consume  the  produce,  or  conveniences 
sufficient  to  allow  of  its  export,  which  cause  the  wines  to  be 
sold  at  a  very  low  rate. 

Political  causes  consist  in  the  regulations  with  regard  to 


ATTACKS  OP  INSECTS,  ETC.  317 

duties  which  are  often  of  such  a  nature  as  to  afford  no  encour- 
.  agement  to  the  owners  of  vineyards  to  increase  their  produce, 
or  enlarge  their  extent  by  expensive  disbursements.  They 
also  relate  to  maritime  wars,  which  render  great  injury  to  the 
export  commerce  ;  and  to  restrictions  of  any  kind,  which  affect 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree  the  egress  of  the  wines  to  the  most 
profitable  foreign  markets,  or  their  internal  transportation  to 
the  different  sections  of  the  country  producing  them.  In  ob- 
viating the  great  expenses  which  would  otherwise  attend  the 
latter,  internal  canals  are  of  immense  importance,  by  facili- 
tating the  transport  of  so  burthen  some  an  article,  at  a  com- 
paratively small  charge  on  its  value. 

The  condition  of  the  proprietor  is  a  subject  also  worthy  of 
particular  consideration.  When  several  unpropitious  seasons 
succeed  each  other,  if  he  is  poor  he  cannot  make  the  advances 
necessary  to  continue  the  vineyard  in  a  good  condition,  nor 
await  a  rise  in  price  when  it  is  unreasonably  low,  and  he  is 
therefore  placed  at  the  mercy  of  speculators  who  enrich  them- 
selves at  his  expense.  It  is  therefore  from  all  considerations 
more  advantageous  that  the  vines  should  be  in  possession  of 
persons  who  possess  the  means  of  making  liberal  disburse- 
ments at  any  necessary  period,  and  who  have  also  the  ability 
to  await  the  offer  of  such  prices  for  their  wines  as  will  yield 
them  a  profit. 

Some  of  the  difficulties  above  enumerated,  it  will  be  per- 
ceived, apply  more  fully  to  other  countries  than  to  our  own, 
and  particularly  to  those  where  the  vine  culture  has  been  ex- 
tended far  beyond  the  home  consumption  of  its  produce  ;  and 
there  appears  to  be  none  but  what  the  vignerons  of  our  country 
may  surmount  by  application  and  perseverance.  I  now  come 
to  the  consideration  of  the  one  relating  to  insects,  and  other 
animal  attacks. 

There  are  several  species  of  insects,  worms,  and  birds  which 
often  cause  injury  to  the  vine.  The  insects  and  some  species 
of  worms  attack  the  leaves,  and  in  particular  cases  the  fruit : 
they  are  also  troubled  in  France  by  a  worm  which  sometimes 
attacks  the  roots,  more  especially  in  the  newly  formed  planta- 


318  ATTACKS  OF  INSECTS,  ETC. 

lions.  Certain  species  of  birds  are  very  fond  of  the  grapes 
when  ripe,  and  occasionally  do  much  injury ;  but  I  should  sup- 
pose on  the  other  hand,  that  many  of  the  birds  would  render 
mere  benefit  than  the  contrary,  by  consuming  great  numbers 
of  the  insects  and  worms.  Fortunately  for  our  country  we 
are  at  present  less  injured  by  the  attacks  of  numerous  insects, 
Sic.  than  are  most  of  the  wine  countries  of  Europe,  and  it  is 
therefore  unnecessary  here  to  enter  into  the  consideration  of 
the  different  species,  and  the  separate  characters  of  those 
which  are  yet  unknown  among  us.  I  will  now  therefore  only 
discuss  the  subject,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  ourselves  at  the  pre- 
sent period,  and  will  dwell  more  fully  upon  it  when  giving 
the  particular  details  of  the  vine  culture  of  the  respective 
countries  in  the  ensuing  volume. 

Mr.  David  Kizer,  of  Washington  City,  has  communicated 
to  Dr.  Samuel  L.  Mitchill,  in  a  letter,  dated  July  14,  1829, 
four  specimens  of  an  insect  which  he  found  on  the  grape  vine. 
It  is  capable  of  doing  injury  to  the  fingers  of  those  who  handle 
it;  and  of  producing  considerable  pain  and  inflammation. 
There  seems  to  be  an  emission  of  a  venomous  fluid.  He  saw 
a  honey-bee  pierced  through  its  body  and  killed  by  the  wound. 
It  would  seem  that  the  food  of  this  powerful  and  devouring 
insect,  says  Mr.  K.  is  the  honey-bee.  He  has  given  it  the  name 
of  the  Pelican  Bee-Catcher.  As  the  specimens  are  in  excel- 
lent preservation,  it  may  be  expected  that  further  entomologi- 
cal researches  will  be  made  by  the  savans. 

A  Boston  writer  complains  of  the  attacks  of  a  species  of 
insect,  the  males  of  which  he  states  have  white  wings  striped 
with  brown,  and  the  females  no  wings  whatever ;  these  are  found 
stationed  on  the  underside  of  the  leaf,  and  are  said  in  some 
cases  to  have  been  innumerable.  They  feed  on  the  epidermis 
or  outer  coat  of  the  leaf,  and  were  so  destructive,  that  many 
persons  in  that  vicinity  some  few  years  since  abandoned  the 
culture  of  the  grape  in  open  gardens,  after  trying  many  expen- 
sive and  troublesome  remedies  without  success.  This  insect 
appears  to  have  been  particularly  injurious  to  plantations  of 
vines  surrounded  by  woods  and  water. 


ATTACKS  OF  INSECTS,  ETC. 

Another  Boston  writer  in  reference  to  the  insect  above 
named,  makes  the  following  remarks.  "  It  makes  its  first  ap- 
pearance in  June,  but  is  most  abundant  in  August,  and  if 
allowed  to  increase,  destroys  the  vegetative  principle  in  the 
leaf,  and  the  plant  languishes,  the  fruit  mildews  or  moulders, 
and  the  crop  is  lost.  Alkalies  and  tobacco  juice  have  been 
tried  as  remedies,  but  although  partially  effective,  have  not 
been  found  completely  so.  To  remedy  this  evil,  however,  you 
have  only  to  make  a  small  light  frame  twelve  or  fourteen  feet 
long,  in  the  form  of  a  soldier's  tent,  but  with  hinges  of  leather 
where  the  top  joins,  so  that  this  tent  may  be  shut  up  or  opened 
at  the  bottom  to  any  width  you  may  require,  according  to  the 
height  of  your  trellis.  This  light  frame,  which  should  be 
made  of  slats  of  boards  from  one  to  two  inches  broad,  may  be 
covered  with  an  old  sail,  or  some  cheap  glazed  cotton  cloth 
which  will  stop  the  smoke,  leaving  cloth  enough  loose  at  each 
end,  to  close  over,  and  prevent  the  smoke  from  escaping  when 
the  tent  is  spread  over  the  trellis. 

"  A  few  tobacco  stalks  moistened  and  put  on  some  coals  in 
a  pan,  will  be  sufficient  to  smoke  the  vines  thoroughly  :  and  as 
the  tent  is  easily  moved  along  the  trellis  on  some  small  wheels, 
one  man  may,  in  a  few  hours,  extirpate  this  enemy  of  the  vine- 
yard. Vines  that  are  already  attacked  by  this  insect  to  any 
great  degree  should  be  smoked  in  June,  July,  and  twice  in 
August,  or  oftener  if  you  find  the  insect  is  not  completely 
destroyed. 

"  The  insects  are  first  seen  on  the  under  part  of  the  leaf,  with- 
out wings — very  active  but  easily  destroyed  if  touched.  They 
afterwards  assume  the  winged  state,  when  it  is  very  difficult 
to  get  at  them,  as  they  fly  off  on  the  vines  being  touched. 
They  are  yellow,  striped  with  brown  across  the  back.  The 
moment  the  smoke  ascends,  the  winged  insects  quit  the  leaves 
and  fall  to  the  ground  dead  or  alive  ;  the  young  ones  perish, 
but  the  older  ones  will  revive  if  not  destroyed  in  their  torpid 
state.  To  effect  this,  you  have  only  to  cover  the  ground 
under  the  tent  with  a  piece  of  wet  cloth  before  you  begin  to 
smoke,  to  which  they  adhere  until  the  tent  is  removed,  and 


320  ATTACKS  OP  INSECTS,  ETC. 

they  are  revived  by  the  atmospheric  air ;  to  prevent  which 
you  will  roll,  or  twist,  the  cloth  each  time  that  you  remove 
the  smoke-house,  or  tent,  and  replace  it  again  each  time  before 
you  smoke,  by  which  means  they  will  be  effectually  destroy- 
ed. This  simple  and  cheap  operation  will  keep  your  vines 
clear  of  this  troublesome  and  destructive  insect,  and  you  may, 
if  the  season  be  warm,  insure  a  good  harvest ;  if  otherwise, 
you  will  be  sure,  if  the  vines  be  girdled,  to  ripen  a  portion  of 
your  fruit  at  least." 

Rose  bugs  are  also  m  some  cases  very  destructive  to  vines. 
They  may  be  attracted  from  a  vineyard  by  planting  a  hedge 
of  rose  bushes  at  the  same  time  the  plantation  of  vines  is 
formed ;  their  preference  for  which  plant  will  serve  to  draw 
them  off  from  attacks  on  the  vines,  and  when  they  have 
accumulated  on  the  rose  bushes,  they  may  be  destroyed 
without  much  labour,  by  adopting  the  following  method: 
As  soon  as  the  bugs  are  seen  to  collect  on  the  roses,  take  a 
vessel  about  half  filled  with  water  in  one  hand,  and  hold  it  under 
the  infested  flowers,  and  with  the  other  hand  or  a  stick,  disturb 
the  bugs,  and  they  will  instantly  fall  into  the  water,  from  which 
they  cannot  extricate  themselves.  In  that  way  great  quantities 
of  them  may  be  collected,  which  by  throwing  into  hot  water 
are  in  a  moment  destroyed ;  and  half  an  hour  so  spent  for  a 
few  mornings  will  entirely  get  rid  of  this  evil. 

Another  remedy  or  preventive  recommended  by  some  per- 
sons to  obviate  the  attacks  of  bugs,  &c.  is  the  following : 
Take  of  sulphate  of  soda  (glauber  salts)  one  ounce,  and  dis- 
solve it  in  a  quart  of  water,  and  then  sprinkle  this  liquid  mix- 
ture over  the  plants  and  vines.  It  is  said  to  be  a  preventive 
against  all  destructive  insects,  but  I  have  not  myself  tried  it. 
It  has  also  been  suggested  that  a  decoction  of  aloes,  or  of 
walnut  leaves,  would  probably  be  found  efficacious  applica- 
tions for  driving  insects  from  vines  or  preventing  their  attacks, 
as  they  have  been  proved  very  effectual  when  applied  to  other 
vegetable  productions  ;  it  having  been  found  that  plants  may 
be  protected  from  such  attacks  by  being  washed  with  a  solution 
of  bitter  aloes,  and  without  any  apparent  injurious  effects  re- 
sulting therefrom. 


MILDEW. 


321 


Wasps  are  also  enemies  to  grapes,  and  to  prevent  their  in- 
jurious attacks,  it  is  recommended  in  the  Dom,  Encyclopedia, 
to  hang  uj)  here  and  there,  along  the  outer  rows,  phials  half 
filled  with  water,  well  sweetened  with  honey,  molasses,  or 
coarse  brown  sugar  ;  the  mouth  of  the  phial  should  be  of  suffi- 
cient size  for  the  wasps  to  enter  easily,  but  not  much  larger ; 
as  they  soon  find  out  the  molasses  by  the  scent,  and  getting 
into  it,  are  drowned.  Another  mode  is  to  take  wide"  earthen 
pans,  and  cover  them  over,  with  honey  or  molasses  without 
water,  and  place  several  of  them  at  suitable  olistances  the  whole 
length  of  the  vineyard  ;  every  wasp  to  leeward,  that  is,  within 
reach  of  the  scent  will  come  to  the  feast,  when  they  will  soon 
entangle  themselves  in  the  molasses,  and  by  attending  to  them 
you  may  make  it  a  deadly  feast  to  nearly  all  that  come. 
When  the  wind  changes  to  a  different  quarter,  the  pans  can 
be  placed  along  a.  different  side  of  the  vineyard. 

Birds  commit  depredations  on  the  grapes  when  they  have 
nearly  attained  their  maturity,  and  one  of  the  best  modes  to 
keep  a  vineyard  free  from  their  attacks,  is  stated  to  be  that  of 
.destroying  their  customary  food  in  the  vicinity,  particularly 
such  as  ripens  about  the  same  time  as  the  grapes,  and  which 
consists  chiefly  of  wild  cherries  and  poke  berries. 

Mr.  Legaux  is  said  to  have  practised  the  following  method 
of  driving  away  birds  :  He  having  noticed  that  they  only 
committed  depredations  just  before  the  rising  and  setting  of 
the  sun,  employed  two  boys  to  patrole  the  vineyard,  each  with 
a  whip  in  one  hand  and  a  rattle  in  the  other,  making  all  the  time 
as  much  noise  as  they  could  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  This 
process  was  continued  about  three  weeks  every  year. 

Mildew. 

Much  discussion  has  arisen  as  to  the  point  whether  this  sub- 
stance is  of  an  animal  or  vegetable  nature,  but  be  it  plant 
or  animal,  certain  it  is,  that  sulphur  alone  or  a  solution  of  sul- 
phur and  lime  will  totally  suppresa  it.  The  first  mode  adopt- 
ed in  using  the  sulphur,  was  to  apply  it  in  a  powdered  state 
to  the  bunches  of  fruit  when  they  were  wet,  so  that  the  mois- 

41 


322  MILDEW. 

ture  might  cause  it  to  adhere.  This  was  found  a  perfect 
remedy  for  the  mildew  or  mould,  without  any  ill  effect  what- 
ever being  produced  on  the  grapes.  The  same  Application 
to  the  leaves  of  the  plant,  if  not  absolutely  successful,  is  a  very 
great  check  to  the  prevalence  of  the  insects  which  infest  the 
foliage ;  the  sulphur  should  be  shaken  over  the  leaves  while 
they  are  hi  a  moist  state,  and  if  not  fatal  to  the  insects  the  first 
time,  this  ought  to  be  repeated.  The  effect  seems  to  be  to  render 
the  leaf  less  palatable  to  them,,  the  expense  is  trifling,  and 
the  labour  small  in  comparison  with  the  value  of  the  fruit. 

The  introduction  of  the  use  of  sulphur  may  be  considered 
as  forming  a  new  era  among  us  in  the  culture  of  foreign 
grapes ;  but  of  all  the  means  that  have  been  tested  for  the 
suppression  of  the  mildew,  the  following  has  proved  the  most 
successful,  and  in  fact  renders  us  completely  master  of  its  ef- 
fects in  so  much  that  it  can  never  hereafter  be  deemed  a 
preventive  to  successful  culture. 

Take  a  pint  and  a  half  of  sulphur,  and  a  lump  of  the  best 
unslaked  lime  of  the  size  of  the  fist,  put  these  in  a  vessel  of 
about  seven  gallons  measurement,  let  the  sulphur  be  thrown 
in  first,  and  the  lime  over  it,  next  pour  in  a  pail  of  boiling 
water,  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  stand  half  an  hour  ;  then  fill  the 
vessel  with  cold  water,  and  after  stirring  well  again,  allow 
the  whole  to  settle.  After  it  has  become  settled,  dip  out  the 
clear  liquid  into  a  barrel,  and  fill  the  barrel  with  cold  water, 
and  it  is  then  fit  for  use.  You  next  proceed  with  a  syringe 
holding  about  a  pint  and  a  half,  and  throw  the  liquid  with  it 
on  the  vines  in  every  direction,  so  as  to  completely  cover 
foliage,  fruit,  and  wood ;  this  should  be  particularly  done 
when  the  fruit  is  just  forming,  and  about  one  third  the  size  of 
a  pea,  and  may  be  continued  twice  or  thrice  a  week  for  two 
or  three  weeks ;  the  period  for  the  whole  process  for  one  or 
two  hundred  grape  vines  need  not  exceed  half  an  hour. 

So  all  powerful  is  the  influence  of  this  application,  that 
even  at  Newport,  R.  I.  where  it  is  well  known  the  atmosphere 
is  exceedingly  moist  and  often  surcharged  with  fogs,  the  most 
eminent  success  has  attended  its  use ;  whereas  those  who 


MILDEW*  323 

omitted  it  there  have  wholly  failed  in  obtaining  crops  on  ac- 
count of  the  superabundance  of  mildew,  which  even  extended 
its  influence  to  the  vines  of  the  Isabella  and  other  native 
grapes.  As  a  proof  of  this  great  success,  I  may  instance 
the  vines  in  the  garden  of  Capt.  Jacob  Smith,  of  that  place, 
which  principally  consist  of  the  White  Muscadine,  or  Chasselas 
variety. 

Aside,  however,  from  the  complete  power  thus  obtained  over 
the  mildew,  the  application  of  this  liquid  preparation  is  also 
very  beneficial  in  preventing  the  depredations  of  insects,  as 
remarked  by  an  intelligent  cultivator  at  page  316. 

The  following  remarks,  on  a  subject  similar,  are  from  the 
pen  of  the  Hon.  Richard  Peters,  formerly  president  of  the 
Philadelphia  Society  for  promoting  Agriculture. 

"  On  garden  plants  I  have  long  and  freely  used  flour  of 
sulphur  (and  on  some  vines  particularly)  to  destroy  and  expel 
grubs  and  flies.  I  have  perceived  them  to  thrive,  but  attri- 
buted their  vigour  to  being  freed  from  annoyance.  I  have 
also  used  sulphur  water  on  fruit  trees  to  banish  or  destroy 
aphides*  On  most  plants  I  use  plaster,  and  therefore  have 
supposed  the  gypsum  alone  had  benefitted  them. — A  small 
infusion  of  sulphuric  acid,  in  a  large  proportion  of  water, 
promotes  vegetation  and  banishes  insects  from  garden  plants. 
It  would  be  well  to  make  some  experiments  on  a  variety  of 
plants  with  the  sulphur  alone,  on  those  of  the  trefoil  tribe 
especially.  I  do  not  see  why  sulphur  in  substance  should  not 
produce  effects  similar  to  those  of  its  derivative,  sulphuric 
acid.  But  plaster  is  with  us  cheaper,  and  in  greater  plenty." 

Assurances  have  been  advanced  from  every  quarter  of  the 
powerful  influence  of  sulphur  against  the  whole  tribes  of 
insects  and  worms  which  infest  and  prey  on  vegetable  produc- 
tions ;  it  has  also  been  found  to  be  conducive  to  the  health  of 
the  plants  to  which  it  has  been  applied,  and  it  has  been  as- 
serted, that  peach  trees  in  particular  were  remarkably  improved 
by  it,  and  seemed  to  absorb  it.  The  common  mode  of  apply- 
ing it  to  plants,  is  to  tie  up  a  portion  of  the  flour  of  sul- 
phur in  a  piece  of  muslin  or  fine  linen,  and  then  to  dust  it 


324  BLEEDING  OF  THE  VINE. 

over  the  plants  ;  or  it  may  be  thrown  on  them  by  means  of  a 
swan's  down  puff,  or  with  a  common  dredging  box. 

Bleeding  of  the  vine. 

The  great  flow  of  the  sap,  usually  denominated  the  bleeding- 
of  the  vine,  most  persons  contend  is  highly  injurious,  while 
others  have  advocated  that  the  use  of  preventives  is  an  in- 
jury. Leaving  this  point  to  the  good  sense  of  our  cultivators, 
my  own  opinion  is  simply  this,  that  where  it  is  deemed  benefi- 
cial to  accumulate  and  husband  the  sap,  it  must  be  equally  so 
to  take  means  for  its  preservation.  In  the  consideration  of 
this  subject  it  is  requisite  to  keep  always  in  view,  that  the  vine 
only  bleeds  before  the  growth  commences,  when  the  sap  has 
no  other  means  of  exhaustion  ;  and  that  it  ceases  on  the  expan- 
sion of  the  foliage.  One  method  used  to  prevent  the  bleed- 
ing is  to  take  a  piece  of  moistened  bladder  and  fold  it  over 
the  end  of  the  shoot,  and  bind  it  round  tightly  with  pack- 
thread. The  remedy  deemed  most  effectual  however,  is  the 
following  :  Immediately  after  the  branch  is  pruned  in  the 
spring,  or  in  any  case  where  bleeding  has  commenced,  apply 
to  the  wound  pulverized  plaster  of  Paris,  which  the  moisture 
there  generated  will  aid  in  completely  obstructing  the  flow  of 
the  fluid.  It  has  been  suggested  to  use  for  this  purpose  plas- 
ter prepared  for  cement  by  calcination,  which  probably  much 
increases  its  absorbent  quality,  as  well  as  the  property  of  har- 
dening speedily,  or  of  setting,  as  it  is  technically  termed. 

Couhire,  or  blight  of  the  llossoms. 

The  flowering  of  the  vine  is  exceedingly  important,  as  on  it 
wholly  depends  the  crop,  and  at  this  period  the  vines  should 
not  be  disturbed  by  working  among  them.  The  shedding  or 
abortiveness  of  the  blossoms  is  called  by  the  French  coulure, 
and  they  have  given  particular  directions,  and  cautions  to  be 
observed  at  the  flowering  season  in  order  to  prevent  it.  Some 
varieties  of  vines  are  much  more  subject  to  it  than  others, 
either  from  nature,  or  from  being  planted  in  too  dry  or  too 
moist  a  soil,  or  from  flowering  too  early  or  too  late.  It  is 


THE  VINTAGE.  325 

Remarked  by  the  French,  that  the  Corinth  grape  may  perhaps  be 
naturally  more  inclined  to  be  abortive,  on  account  of  its  hav- 
ing no  seeds ;  but  I  have  found  that  variety  to  be  particularly 
fruitful.  The  most  skilful  vignerons  cannot  always  counteract 
this  blight,  it  is  nevertheless  sometimes  caused  by  pruning  too 
much/;  by  working  the  vineyard  at  an*  improper  period ;  or  by 
manuring  too  abundantly.  There  is  but  one  vineyard  known 
in  France  where  they  pinch  off  the  ends  of  the  bunches  before 
flowering,  in  ordtr  to  prevent  the  coulnre  and  increase  the  size 
of  the  berries,  and  it  may  be  reasonably  questioned  whether 
these  means  produce  the  result.  A  proper  attention  and  an 
appropriate  discretion  in  the  pursuance  of  the  various  rules 
and  directions  laid  down'  in  this  work,  will  be  calculated  to 
obviate  this,  as  well  as  the  other  difficulties  particularly  inci- 
dental to  the  vine  culture.  The  foreign  vines  are  in  this 
locality  so  late  in  expanding  their  foliage  and  flowers,  that  I 
apprehend  no  difficulty  in  any  case  on  that  head ;  and  indeed 
their  bloom  is  produced  at  a  later  period  than  that  of  most  of 
our  native  varieties,  of  which  the  Scuppernong  is  one  of  the 
most  tardy,  both  in  the  development  of  its  foliage  and  of  its 
flowers. 

The  vintage. 

The  vintage  is  a  season  of  mirth  in  all  wine  countries,  and 
appears  to  have  been  equally  so  in  the  earliest  ages.  Isaiah's 
prediction  concerning  Moab  is  particularly  characteristic  on 
this  point.  '"  And  gladness  is  taken  away,  and  joy  out  of  the 
plentiful  field,  and  in  the  vineyards  there  shall  be  no  singing, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  shouting  ;  the  treaders  shall  tread 
out  no  wine  in  their  presses  ;  I  have  made  their  vintage  shout- 
ing to  cease." ' 

In  some  parts-  of  France  the  vintage  of  the  white  grapes 
does  not  commence  until  that  of  the  black  ones  is  nearly  or 
quite  over.  The  former  are  left  to  hang  as  long  as  possible 
before  gathering,  because  thereby  the  wine  obtained  from  them 
is  stronger  and  of  better  flavour.  It  even  sometimes  happens 
that  snow  is  on  the  ground  before  they  are  gathered.  This 


326  REPUTATION  OF  VINEYARDS. 

difference  in  the  period  of  the  vintage  of  the  white  and  the 
black  grapes  arises  from  a  delay  in  the  maturity  of  the  former, 
which  circumstance  may  doubtless  be  correctly  accounted  for 
by  the  greater  operation  of  the  sun  upon  dark  coloured  fruits, 
than  on  those  of  a  paler  hue.  The  vines  are  often  entirely 
divested  of  foliage  before  the  crops  are  gathered,  and  at  such 
time  present  a  beautiful  appearance  ;  and  it  is  a  fact  that  the 
vintage  is  not  generally  performed  in  France,  until  after  there 
has  been  considerable  frost,  which  is  not  deemed  an  injury  to 
the  grapes  when  their  maturity  is  previously  far  advanced. 

The  effects  of  frost  are  well  known  in  regard  to  various 
products  of  vegetation.  It  not  only  converts  mucilage  into 
starch,  but  the  latter  into  saccharine  matter,  instance  the  freez- 
ing of  potatoes,  which  gives  them  a  sweetish  taste,  probably 
by  converting  the  starch  which  they  contain  into  sugar. 
There  are  several  of  our  indigenous  fruits  which  are  alto- 
gether unpalatable  until  the  operation  of  frost  has  divested 
them  of  their  acid  or  astringent  properties,  and  imparted  to 
them  a  degree  of  sweetness  and  mildness  of  flavour — among 
which  is  the  frost  grape,  so  called  from  this  circumstance,  the 
persimmon,  and  some  others. 

In  regard  to  the  particular  manner  of  gathering  the  crops 
as  practised  in  the  European  and  other  foreign  vineyards, 
the  subject  will  be  discussed  hereafter  under  the  heads  of  the 
respective  countries. 

Reputation  of  vineyards. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  among  the  vineyards  which 
have  at  different  periods  acquired  great  renown,  there  are  some 
which  have  only  existed  for  a  time,  and  others  whose  reputa- 
tion has  been  but  of  ephemeral  endurance,  because  a  single 
circumstance  may  suffice  to  destroy  it,  or  obliterate  its  remem- 
brance. A  change  of  the  proprietor  or  ownership  is  generally 
followed  by  a  new  method  of  culture.  The  circumstance  of 
the  cultivation  being  less  carefully  attended  to ;  any  neglect 
in  the  management  or  renewal  of  the  vines  most  appropriate 
to  the  situation  and  climate  ;  a  less  degree  of  care  or  any 


REPUTATION  OP  VINEYARDS.  327 

omission  of  attention  in  the  fabrication  of  the  vines,  is  often 
sufficient  to  cast  discredit,  perhaps  for  ever,  on  the  produce  of 
a  vineyard.  Examples  also  frequently  present  themselves, 
more  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  the  large  cities  of  France, 
where  the  consumption  is  immense  and  the  sales'  consequently 
certain  ;  in  which  the  proprietor  of  a  vineyard  sacrifices  the 
consideration  of  quality  to  that  of  quantity  in  his  wines,  from 
which  cause  it  consequently  results  that  his  vineyard  does  not 
thereafter  enjoy  that  fame  which  it  had  acquired  under  a  to- 
tally different  manner  of  directing  it. 

In  the  period  when  Italy  was  in  the  greatest  prosperity,  her 
vineyards  were  planted  with  those  kinds  of  vines  that  had  ac- 
quired the  highest  celebrity,  which  were  brought  from  the 
most  famous  parts  of  the  earth,  and  thence  she  acquired  the 
reputation  of  producing  the  finest  wines.  It  is  not  therefore  the 
eagerness  for  gain  or  the  negligence  of  the  cultivators  to  which 
is  to  be  attributed  the  present  oblivion  in  regard  to  the  Italian 
wines  of  Massica,  of  Cecuba,  and  of  Falerna,  so  highly  ex- 
tolled by  Horace  and  his  contemporaries.  The  Romans-  also 
held  in  great  estimation  the  vineyards  of  Scio,  of  Coz,  and 
other  renowned  places,  whose  produce  gave  delight  to  their 
banquets  ;  and  in  fact,  the  wines  of  Greece,  the  Malvoisie, 
and  Candia,  were  not  unknown  to  them.  Some  of  the  wines 
then  so  famed,  still  retain  a  partial  celebrity,  but  by  far  the 
most  of  them  are  no  longer  known.  Nevertheless,  France 
produces  wines  which  have  lost  no  portion  of  their  celebrity 
during  a  succession  of  fifteen  centuries ;  and  how  many  others 
exist  that  are  but  little  known  to  us,  whose  merits  it  is  only 
necessary  should  be  fully  understood  in  order  to  competevper- 
haps  advantageously  with  those  of  the  first  rank.  It  is  with 
the  reputation  of  wines  as  with  that  of  men,  to  spring  from 
the  obscurity  where  they  had  remained  unnoticed.  It  is  not 
always  sufficient  of  itself  to  possess  real  merit,  but  often  re- 
quires the  addition  of  some  favourable  event  or  adventitious 
circumstance  not  at  all  times  to  be  met  with.  Who,  in  fact,  in 
travelling  through  the  fine  wine  countries,  has  not  drank  in 
some  obscure  district,  wines  of  such  delicious  flavour  that  their 


328  DURATION  OP  VINEYARDS. 

bare  appearance  on  the  tables  of  the  affluent  would  serve  to 
acquire  them  renown  ? 

The  nobility  who  attended  Louis  XIV.  to  his  coronation, 
restored  to  the 'wines  of  Sillery,  Hautvillers,  Verseriai,  and 
other  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rheims  the  celebrity 
they  had  formerly  possessed,  and  which  they  have  since  en- 
joyed. The  wines  of  Romanee,  and  those  of  Bourdeaux, 
owe  their  fame  in  part  to  skilful  management,  but  more  parti- 
cularly to  certain  fortunate  and  coincident  circumstances,  too 
well  known  to  be  repeated. 

Duration  of  vineyards. 

The  vineyards  in  which'  they  replant  the  vines  every  twenty 
or  thirty  years,  do  not  yield  wines  of  fine  quality  or  of  long 
preservation,  and  more  generally  the  vines  are  left  to  the  age 
of  fifty  to  a  hundred  years.  It  is  seldom,  except  in  Burgundy, 
that  vines  are  met  with  which  have  been  planted  for  three, 
four,  and  five  centuries.  The  wood  of  young  vines  is  more 
porous  than  that  which  has  become  hardened  by  age,  and  the 
sap  which  it  circulates  is  more  watery ;  such  vines  produce 
more  grapes,  but  these  yield  a  wine  less  generous  and  less 
susceptible  of  preservation,  and  it  is  often  not  until  twelve  or 
fifteen  years  have  expired  that  a  vineyard  is  considered  as  hav- 
ing attained  to  perfection  in  regard  to  the  quality  of  its  wine. 
Those  vineyards  that  are  renewed  continually  with  provins 
or  layers,  which  are  separated  from  the  main  vines  when  two 
years  old,  are  considered  in  the  class  of  young  vineyards. 

Uses  of  sweet  grapes. 

Sweet  and  luscious  grapes  yield  in  general  but  inferior 
wines,  from  the  same  causes  that  apples  of  a  similar  character 
afford  cider  of  the  least  excellence.  But  they  are  useful 
nevertheless  for  a  variety  of  purposes.  Very -sweet,  luscious, 
and  high  flavoured  varieties  are  suitable  for  what  is  termed 
essence  grapes,  in  order  to  be  mixed  with  others  less  sweet 
and  high  flavoured  in  making  wine,  as  they  substitute  the 
saccharine  quality,  and  impart  an  artificial  flavour,  which 


USES  OP  SWEET  GRAPES.  329 

easily  approximates,  being  so  nearly  allied  by  natural  affinity. 
The  next  purpose  for  which  they  are  highly  estimated  is  that 
of  a  delicious  and  salutary  table  fruit,  eaten  in  a  fresh  state 
as  plucked  from  the  vines ;  after  which  follows  their  preserva- 
tion in  a  fresh  state  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  art  of  preserving  grapes  was  well  known  to  the  Ro 
mans,  and  Columella  gives  a  particular  account  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  were  preserved,  both  in  his  time  and  in  that 
of  his  uncle  Marcus  Columella.  He  recommends  that  they 
be  put  in  small  jars  capable  only  of  containing  one  bunch, 
and  states  that  the  fruit  should  be  gathered  quite  dry  at  a 
time  when  the  sun  is  on  it,  and  that  after  being  cooled  in  the 
shade,  the  bunches  should  be  suspended  in  the  jars,  and  the 
vacant  space  filled  up  with  oat  chaff,  all  the  dust  having  been 
previously  blown  from  it.  The  jars  should  be  well  baked 
or  burned,  and  not  such  as  imbibe  moisture ;  the  tops  of  the 
jars  must  be  covered  over,  and  pitched  so  as  to  keep  out  the 
air. 

The  preserved  grapes  imported  into  England  are  princi- 
pally from  Portugal,  and  are  contained  in  large  earthern 
jars  closely  cemented  down.  Besides  those  exported  by 
Portugal  to  different  foreign  countries,  large  quantities  are 
shipped  from  Smyrna,  Trieste,  fee.  and  sustain  the  voyage  to 
this  country  so  well  that  they  form  regular  annual  appendages 
to  the  fruit  shops  of  our  large  cities  ;  those  which  are  usually 
imported  into  our  country  are  very  large  oval  white  and  pur- 
ple grapes  of  excellent  flavour,  with  a  thick  skin  however, 
and  without  the  musk  flavour  so  much  prized  in  many  sorts, 
those  possessing  that  character  not  being  perhaps  susceptible 
of  preservation  for  so  long  a  voyage. 

For  full  success  in  this  process,  it  appears  to  be  deemed 
necessary  that  a  selection  be  made  of  such  varieties  of  the 
grape,  as  have  thick  and  strong  skins,  and  many  of  our  na- 
tive grapes  being  of  this  description,  would  without  doubt  be 
suitable  for  the  purpose,  and  none  more  so  of  those  that  I 
have  met  with  than  the  Scuppernong,  whose  skin  is  thick,  and 
exceedingly  tough  and  strong.  The  Dure-peau,  White 

42 


330  USES  OF  SWEET  GRAPE*. 

Malaga,  the  black  and  white  Hamburgh,  and  a  great  number 
of  other  excellent  grapes,  have  likewise  thick  skins,  and  are 
calculated  for  this  object. 

The  weight  of  a  berry  depends  not  only  on  its  size,  but  on 
the  thickness  of  its  skin,  and  texture  of  the  flesh,  the  lightest 
being  the  thin  skinned  and  juicy  sorts,  as  the  Muscadine,  Chas- 
selas,  &c.  and  berries  that  are  considered  large  of  these  kinds 
will  weigh  from  five  to  seven  pennyweights,  and  measure  about 
an  inch  and  a  half  in  girth.  A  bunch  of  good  size  of  the 
same  sorts,  may  weigh  one  and  a  quarter,  to  one  and  a  half 
pounds,  and  of  the  very  largest  size  two  pounds,  but  the  aver- 
age of  fair  sized  bunches  is  one,  to  one  and  a  quarter  pounds  ; 
a  bunch  of  the  Black  Hamburgh  of  good  size  will  weigh  nearly 
or  quite  two  pounds,  and  bunches  of  the  very  large  varieties 
of  grapes  will  weigh  three  and  four  to  six  pounds. 

Another  use  made  of  sweet  grapes  is  for  the  purpose  of  dry- 
ing, and  thereby  forming  raisins  and  currants.  Laborde  in 
his  account  of  Spain,  gives  the  following  description  of  the 
mode  of  drying  raisins  : — In  the  province  of  Valencia,  they 
make  a  kind  of  ley  with  the  ashes  of  rosemary  and  vine 
branches,  to  which  they  add  a  quart  of  slaked  lime ;  this  ley 
is  heated,  and  a  vessel  full  of  holes  containing  the  grapes  is 
put  into  it.  When  the  bunches  are  in  the  state  desired,  they 
are  carried  to  the  naked  rocks,  where  they  are  spread  on  beds 
of  the  field  artemesia,  and  are  turned  every  two  or  three  days 
till  they  are  dry.  In  the  province  of  Grenada,  particularly 
towards  Malaga,  the  grapes  are  simply  dried  in  the  sun  with- 
out any  other  preparation.  The  former  have  a  more  pleasant 
rind  or  skin,  but  a  less  mellow  substance ;  the  skins  of  the 
latter  are  not  so  sugary,  but  their  pulp  has  a  much  greater 
relish  ;  therefore  the  raisins  of  Malaga  are  preferred  by 
foreigners,  and  are  sold  at  a  higher  price.  To  this  their 
natural  qualities  may  likewise  contribute,  they  being  larger 
and  more  delicate  than  those  of  Valencia. 

Having  now  gone  through  the  subject  matter  proposed,  for 
for  the  present  volume,  I  shall  conclude  by  transcribing  the 
opinions  of  an  enlightened  cultivator  of  our  own  country 


VINEYARD,  GERMANTOWN.  331 

this  interesting  subject,  and  although  his  communication 
should  more  properly  be  placed  with  others  of  its  class  under 
the  head  of  American  vineyards  in  the  second  part  of  this 
work,  I  cannot  refrain  from  inserting  it  here  as  one  of  general 
and  immediate  interest,  and  as  a  specimen  of  that  skill,  enter- 
prise and  intelligence  which  it  may  be  expected  will  be  de- 
veloped when  we  come  to  the  discussions  under  that  head. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  Edward  H.  Bonsall,  Esq.  to  the  author. 

"  Vineyard,  Germantown,  Pa.  February  1830. 

"  I  received  your  communication,  in  due  course,  and  feel 
under  obligations  for  the  kindness  which  prompted  it.  In 
accordance  with  the  invitation  contained  in  it,  I  shall  now 
proceed  to  give  a  cursory  sketch  of  my  practice  and 
experience,  so  far  as  I  understand  your  proposition  to  ex- 
tend. I  may  premise,  that  I  commenced  planting  my  vine- 
yard in  the  spring  of  1825,  with  from  seven  to  eight  thou 
sand  cuttings,  which  I  extended  over  three  acres  of  ground, 
arranging  them  with  a  view  to  the  vines  being  when  grown, 
at  distances  of  four  by  seven  feet  from  each  other.  There 
was  an  average  of  two  cuttings  in  a  place.  From  the  time  of 
planting  (say  first  of  April,)  for  a  period  of  six  weeks,  there 
was  but  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  of  rain,  and  the  sun  fre- 
quently warm.  The  vegetating  principle  was  put  in  action, 
the  sprouts  started,  and  deriving  no  nutriment  from  the  soil, 
many  of  them  were  soon  killed,  and  dropped  off,  I  raised 
something  beyond  one  thousand.  The  early  and  most  impor- 
tant part  of  the  next  season  was  almost  equally  unfavourable, 
which  combining  with  the  necessity  of  starting  with  very  few 
of  some  of  the  varieties,  I  was  desirous  of  cultivating  exten- 
sively, (and  from  which  I  have  since  been  propagating,  and 
gradually  extending  my  stock,)  greatly  obstructed  the  com- 
pletion of  my  establishment,  so  that  there  are  yet  some  vacan- 
cies to  be  filled.  I  have  now  about  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred in  their  proper  places,  and  upwards  of  one  thousand  more 
to  be  renewed.  I  have  such  confidence  in  the  business  being 
both  practicable  and  profitable,  that  I  contemplate  planting 


332  METHOD  OP  CULTIVATION 

one  and  a  half  acres  more  on  a  site  well  suited  to  the  purpose, 
adjoining  my  present  establishment. 

"  Some  of  my  vines  produced  fruit  in  1827,  pretty  freely 
in  1828,  and  last  year  very  largely,  when  my  vintage  produced 
eight  barrels  of  wine,  beside  my  making  sale  of  a  considerable 
quantity  of  fruit  in  Philadelphia,  &c.  The  ensuing  season, 
I  shall  probably  have  more  than  double  the  quantity,  as  there 
are  constantly  new  vines  coming  into  bearing,  and  also  others 
approaching  their  full  capacity,  which  had  previously  made 
only  a  first  or  a  second  effort. 

"  As  regards  the  varieties  with  which  I  have  had  most  suc- 
cess, and  to  which  I  give  the  preference,  I  am  unhesitating  in 
ranking  as  the  three  foremost,  the  '  Catawba,'  the  York,  (Pa.) 
'  Black  Madeira,'  and  the  *  Isabella.'  These  seem  to  possess 
all  the  requisites  for  our  purpose,  more  particularly  as  wine 
grapes, — and  some  persons  admire  them  for  the  table  also. 
They  all  produce  excellent  wood,  ripening  the  shoots  almost 
to  the  extreme  end,  even  in  the  most  unfavourable  seasons,  and 
without  any  protection,  pass  through  our  coldest  winters  as 
securely  as  the  oak  of  the  forest.  The  l  Catawba'  and  '  Isa- 
bella' yield  extra-abundant  crops  of  fruit,  and  the  York 
Black  Madeira  is  also  a  very  good  bearer.  Their  fruit 
rarely  fails  to  arrive  at  fine  maturity,  and  is  rich  in  saccha- 
rine matter, — the  basis  of  wine.  The  *  Alexander'  I  am 
cultivating  pretty  largely,  but  my  estimation  of  it  is  on  the 
wane.  It  does  not  produce  as  good  wood  as  those  just 
mentioned,  and  is  less  certain  of  ripening  its  fruit.  I  have 
some  plants  of  the  North  Carolina  '  Scuppernong'  coming 
forward ;  but  from  conversation  with  some  of  my  friends,  who 
were  familiar  with  it  at  the  south,  I  doubt  its  adaptation  to  ex- 
tensive culture.  They  say,  that  as  the  berries  commence 
ripening,  they  immediately  loosen  their  connection  with  the 
stem,  and  by  slight  agitation,  fall  in  great  numbers,  as  is  the 
case  with  most  of  our  Fox  grapes.  I  have  upwards  of  thirty 
additional  varieties,  several  of  which  have  not  produced  fruit, 
so  as  to  enable  me  from  personal  observation,  to  place  an  esti- 
mate on  them ;  and  such  as  have,  I  do  not  think  worthy  of  be- 


AT  THE  VINEYARD,  GERMANTOWN.  333 

ing  brought  into  competition  with  the  three  first  mentioned. 
There  are  some,  the  *  Elsenborough,'  « Orwigsburg,'  &c. 
the  fruit  of  which  is  good,  and  generally  ripens,  but  they 
hardly  seem  fitted  for  vineyard  culture,  on  account  of  defi- 
ciency in  the  size  of  the  fruit,  amount  of  produce,  &c. 

"  The  wine  Dr.  Hulings  alluded  to  was  part  of  a  cask  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty  gallons,  made  by  me  three  years  since, 
from  the  '  Alexander'  grape,  purchased  of  some  of  my  neigh- 
bours, my  vines  not  having  at  that  time  come  into  bearing. 
It  has  been  pronounced  by  connoisseurs  in  Philadelphia,  to 
be  very  similar  in  its  character  to  a  good  Madeira,  excepting 
that  it  was  rather  more  mild. 

"  My  vineyard  is  situated  between  the  Schuylkill  and  Dela- 
ware rivers — four  miles  from  the  former,  and  eight  from  the 
latter,  at  an  elevation  of  three  hundred  feet  above  their  level, 
having  an  aspect  facing  S.  S.  E.,  with  a  sub-stratum  of  light 
isinglass  soil,  and  seems  well  suited  to  the  purpose.  From 
my  experience,  both  on  my  own  premises  and  at  other  places, 
it  is  my  judgment  that  we  should  reject  almost  all  the  foreign 
varieties,  especially  where  our  object  in  cultivating  them  is  to 
make  wine. 

"  1  shall  now  proceed  to  make  some  statements  on  the  sub- 
ject of  planting,  training,  &c.  and  as  my  experience,  since 
commencing  the  business,  has  suggested  some  variations  from 
my  original  plan,  I  shall  rather  detail  what  I  would  do,  than 
what  I  have  done.  I  think  the  plan  laid  down  by  most  writers 
for  preparing  the  ground  and  planting,  is  much  more  expen- 
sive than  is  necessary,  and  that  it  is  calculated  to  deter  many 
persons  from  undertaking  the  business.  To  dig  the  ground 
from  eighteen  inches  to  two  and  a  half  feet  deep  with  a  spade, 
is  in  this  country  no  trifling  task,  and  in  comparison  with  the 
common  process  of  farming,  looks  truly  formidable.  My  plan 
would  be,  to  start  two  ploughs  with  strong  teams,  one  imme- 
diately behind  the  other,  in  the  same  furrow,  each  of  them  set 
deep,  and  after  the  ploughing  is  completed,  harrow  it  tho- 
roughly. Then,  in  the  direction  the  rows  are  intended  to  be 
planted,  run  parallel  furrows  across  the  field,  at  the  distance  of 


334  METHOD  OF  CULTIVATION 

eight  feet  from  each  other.  Afterwards  cross  these  at  right 
angles,  five  feet  asunder.  In  the  opening  at  the  intersection 
of  these  furrows,  plant  the  cuttings  or  vines.  Of  cuttings,  if 
they  are  short-jointed,  I  think  from  nine  to  twelve  inches  in 
length  is  sufficient,  observing  that  the  upper  eye  or  bud  is  firm 
and  good.  Then  place  them  in  the  ground  (at  the  intersections 
as  above)  such  a  depth  that  the  upper  eye  is  even  with  the  ge- 
neral surface  of  the  surrounding  earth,  and  draw  the  earth  to 
them  till  it  is  level,  pressing  it  lightly  with  the  foot.  If  the 
plough  has  not  made  an  opening  the  full  depth,  the  cutting  can 
be  forced  down  with  the  hand.  In  case  rooted  plants  are  to 
be  set  out,  if  they  are  not  large,  the  opening  at  the  intersec- 
tion will  be  found  to  be  nearly  or  quite  sufficient  to  receive 
them,  when  the  earth  can  be  drawn  in  as  before.  In  this  way 
a  large  number  can  be  planted  in  a  short  time,  and  at  a  trifling 
expense. 

"  Contrary  to  the  common  opinion  and  practice,  I  think  I  have 
satisfactorily  ascertained  that  late  spring  planting  for  cuttings 
is  attended  with  more  success  than  any  other  time.     Last  year 
I  planted  in  nursery  beds,  from  two  to  three  thousand  cuttings 
as  late  as  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the   middle  of  May, 
with  better  success  than  at  any  previous  time.     In  this  case, 
the  slips  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  damp  place,  a  cellar  or  Ice- 
house, where  vegetation  may  be  held  in  check.     To  ensure 
their  freshness,  sprinkle  them  occasionally  with  water.     Pre- 
vious to  planting,  cut  them  a  proper  length,  and  place  them 
with  their  lower  ends  three  or  four  inches  in  water,  in  a  tub 
above  ground,  where  they  may  soak  three  or  four  days.     At 
this  season,  the  temperature  will  be  likely  to  be  such  as  will 
spur  vegetation  at  once  into  healthy  and  vigorous  action.     In 
the  fall,  or  early  in  the  spring  is  preferable  for  rooted  plants. 
In  the  autumn  of  the  first  year,  after  the  frost  has  killed  the 
unripe  part  of  the  young  shoots,  they  should  be  pruned  down 
to  the  mature  firm  wood,  and  then  with  a  hoe  hilled  over  with 
the  surrounding  soil,  which  will  completely  protect  them  through 
the  winter.     If  left  without  protection  the  first  winter,  many 
of  them  will  perish. 


AT  THE  VINEYARD,  GERMANTOWN.  335 

"  My  mode  of  training,  as  far  as  I  am  aware  of  it,  is  en- 
tirely peculiar  to  myself,  and  as  regards  fitness  and  economy, 
(taking  the  average  of  a  given  number  of  years)  I  think  is 
superior  to  any  thing  I  have  met  with.  I  take  chesnut  posts, 
the  thickness  of  large  fence  rails,  seven  feet  in  length.  These 
I  plant  along  the  rows,  at  distances  of  ten  feet  from  each  other, 
and  at  such  a  depth  as  to  leave  five  feet  above  the  surface  of 
the  earth.  Then  taking  three  nails  to  each  post,  and  driving 
them  to  within  half  an  inch  of  their  heads, — the  first,  two  and  a 
half  feet  from  the  ground,  a  second  midway  between  that  and 
the  top,  and  the  third  near  the  top,  I  attach  No.  1 1  iron  wire, 
(one  degree  soft  is  best)  firmly  to  one  of  the  nails  in  the  end 
post,  pass  on  to  the  next,  and  stretching  it  straight  and  tight, 
give  it  one  turn  round  a  nail  in  the  same  line  as  the  one  to 
which  it  was  first  attached.  Having  in  this  manner  extended 
it  along  the  three  courses,  the  whole  length  of  the  row,  my 
trellis  is  formed.  I  have  had  a  portion  of  my  vineyard  fitted 
up  in  this  way  for  three  years,  and  experience  has  confirmed 
the  superior  fitness  of  the  plan.  It  is  not  its  least  recommen- 
dation, that  it  possesses  in  a  degree  the  character  of  '  labour- 
saving  machinery.'  A  very  important  and  extensive  labour* 
making  portion  of  the  operations  in  the  vineyard  during  the 
summer,  is  the  attention  required  by  the  growing  shoots  to 
keep  them  properly  trained  up.  They  grow  and  extend  them- 
selves so  rapidly,  that  where  the  strips  of  the  trellis  are  lath, 
or  where  poles  are  used  to  support  the  vines,  unless  very 
closely  watched,  they  fall  down  in  every  direction,  in  a  very 
unsightly  and  injurious  manner.  Here,  the  wire  being  small, 
the  tendrils  or  claspers  eagerly  and  firmly  attach  themselves  to 
it,  and  thus  work  for  themselves,  in  probably  two-thirds  of  the 
instances  where  the  attention  of  the  vigneron  would  otherwise 
be  required.  There  is  free  access  afforded  to  the  sun  and  air, 
and  no  hold  for  the  wind  to  strain  the  frame,  &cc.  &c. 

"  I  shall  not  enter  into  a  minute  description  of  my  manner 
of  pruning,  but  may  just  say,  that  after  the  vines  have  attained 
a  full  capacity  for  production  (say  five  years  from  the  cutting,) 


336  VINEYARD,  OEHMANTOWN. 

my  view  is  to  prepare  them  for  bearing  an  average  of  fifty 
clusters  to  each,   leaving  several  shoots  of  from  three  to  five 
joints  on  a  vine,  for  this  purpose.     When  fresh  pruned  they 
will  not  be  more  than  four  feet  high,  at  their  greatest  age. 

"  Although  I  have  succeeded  in  making  good  wine,  and 
hope  still  to  succeed,  as  that  made  last  autumn,  two  hundred 
and  forty  gallons,  in  four  separate  casks,  all  promises  exceed- 
ingly well.     I  do  not  consider  that  I  have  any  settled  prac- 
tice,  it  being  yet  in  some  sort  a  matter  of  experiment.     I 
therefore  feel  that  it  would  be  premature  for  me  to  treat  on  this 
branch  of  the  subject.     The  important  fact,  and  which  is  as- 
certained beyond  dispute,  is  that  we  can  make  good  wine  in 
this  country,  I  believe,  equal  to  the  better  qualities  of  foreign. 
An  interest  in  the  business  has  already  been  awakened,  and  is 
rapidly  extending  itself  through  a  large  portion  of  our  coun- 
try, and  practical  instructions  on  the  subject,  accompanied  by 
an  exhibit  of  its  proceeds,  when  actively  and  judiciously  pro- 
secuted, seem  called  for  by  the  exigencies  of  the  present  time, 
and  will  no  doubt,  by  prompting  to  the  more  widely  extended 
culture  of  the  vine,  prove  a  public  benefit  at  the  same  time 
that  it  greatly  promotes  the  personal  interests  of  those  wha 
engage  in  it. 


CATALOGUE 


DIFFERENT  VARIETIES  OF  GRAPES 

AT  PBESENT  CULTIVATED   IIS 

THE  VINEYARD  OF  THE  AUTHOR, 

ATTACHED  TO  THE 

BOTANIC    GARDEN. 


THE  foreign  grapes  included  in  the  following  assortment 
are  reared  from  plants  imported  direct  from  the  most  celebrated 
collections  in  France,  Germany,  Italy,  the  Crimea,  Madeira, 
&c. ;  and  above  two  hundred  varieties  are  the  identical  kinds 
which  were  cultivated  at  the  Royal  Garden  of  the  Luxem- 
bourg at  Paris,  an  establishment  formed  by  royal  patronage 
for  the  purpose  of  concentrating  all  the  most  valuable  fruits 
of  France,  and  testing  their  respective  merits.  They  will  be 
found  enumerated  in  the  catalogue  of  that  establishment,  it 
having  been  an  object  of  particular  care  to  adopt  and  con- 
tinue in  my  collection  the  same  titles  there  approved  for  their 
correctness. 

Many  of  these  will  be  found  to  differ  essentially  from  grapes 
cultivated  under  similar  names  in  some  parts  of  the  United 
States,  as  in  many  instances  the  possessors  of  grapes  of  doubt- 
ful origin  have  attached  to  them  the  names  of  old  established 
fruits,  or  have  made  "their  importations  from  persons  abroad 
who  have  deceived  them  ;  and  on  this  point  I  am  happy  to 
say,  that  the  experience  of  a  long  course  of  years  has  brought 
me  into  correspondence  with  those  who  are  above  deception. 
But  to  place  their  identity  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt, 
specimen  vines  of  every  kind  have  been  planted  out  for  bear- 
ing, and  persons  desirous  of  seeing  the  fruit  can  view  them  at 
the  season  of  ripening, 

43 


338 


CATALOGUE  OF  GRAPE  VINES. 


In  order  that  persons  establishing  vineyards  may  make  their 
selections  judiciously,  and  with  a  proper  regard  to  latitude 
and  locality,  I  have  attached  to  a  great  number  of  varieties 
the  name  of  the  particular  department  of  France  where  each 
originated  ;  therefore,  by  turning  to  the  map,  the  latitude  will 
be  ascertained.  The  synonymes  are  carefully  arranged,  and 
in  no  case  is  the  same  fruit  knowingly  twice  enumerated  in 
this  list,  and  where  a  doubt  exists,  it  is  so  stated. 

T  denotes  celebrated  table  grapes.  )    T° sucfi  at  are  described  in  this 

„,  ,    i        ,     ,  >  work,   these  designations    are   not 

W  Celebrated  Wine  grapes.  {  attached,  being-  unnecessary. 

L»  those  from  the  garden  of  the  Luxembourg. 


1  July  grape 

2  New  black  cluster,  or  Slack  Tokay? 

3  Early  white  muscadine 

4  White  sweet  water 

5  Black  sweet  water 

6  Black  muscadine 

7  Striped  Aleppo 

8  Brown,  or  chocolate  coloured 

9  Bordeaux  purple 

10  Walker's  large  white 

11  Probyn's  large  white 

12  Esperione 

13  Black  Hamburgh 

14  Purple  do. 

15  Red  do. 

16  White  do.  or  White  raisin,  having 

proved  synonymous 

17  Black  St.  Peter's 

18  White  do. 

19  West's  St.  Peter 

20  Black    Prince,    supposed    identical 

with  29 

21  Black  Damascus 
522  White  cornichon 

23  Violet  do.  or  Olivette  noire 

24  White  seedless  Corinth 

25  Blue  Corinth 

26  White  Malmsey 

27  Red  do. 

28  Black  Morocco,  from  France,  oval 

fruit 

29  Black   Spanish,  Black    Lisbon,    or 

Portugal,  or  Black  Prince 


30  Teinturier 

31  Gros  muscadet 

32  Black  garnet 

33  Pitmaston  white  cluster 

34  Clapier's  white,  T 

35  Selby's  white,  T 

36  See  113,  having  proved  synonymous 

37  Naebacker's  muscat,  (Jidlum) 

38  See  408 

39  See  409 

40  Syrian 

41  Black  Grecian,  T 

42  Black  Cape 

43  Bretagne  rouge 

44  Regners  dc  Nice 

45  San  giorese 

46  Mamolo 

47  Deo  data,  1  white 

48  Norton's  large  oval  purple 

49  Seedling  muscadel,  T 

50  Le  noir'? 

51  Lafitte? 

53  Oeil  de  Tourd 

54  Verdal 

55  Napoleon,  from  Elba 

56  Meyer  blanc,  L 

57  Pr£coce  blanc,  L 

58  De  pcrigord,  L 

59  Carprara,  L 

60  Charsclle,  L 

61  Franconie,  black 

63  Laan  hatif,  white 

64  Gouais  noir,  or  petit  game 


Chasselas  grapes. 
Which  are  all  celebrated  table  fruits. 


66  White  or  golden  chasselas,  or  Chas- 

selas of  Fontainbleau 

67  Golden  do.  distinct  from  66 
63  Red  chasselas 

B9  White  musk  chasselas 

70  Violet  chasselas 

71  Yellow  chasselas  of  Thomery,  sup- 

posed syn.  0/66 


72  Purple  royal  chasselas 

73  Chasselas  blanc  de  la  magdelene^ 

Prov. 

74  Black  chasselas,  Doubf. 

75  Mornain  blanc 

76  Cioutat 


CATALOGUE  OP  GRAPE  VINES. 


339 


Fronlignac,  and  other  Muscat  grapes. 

The  grapes  of  this  class  are  celebrated  for  their  high  musk  flavour,  and  are 
among  the  most  estimable  for  the  table,  and  a  few  are  used  in  France  for 
sweet  wines.  In  consequence  of  these  varieties  being  more  highly  valued  in 
France,  and  even  much  more  rare  there  than  most  other  kinds,  more  decep- 
tions and  inaccuracies  have  existed  with  regard  to  them  than  any  other  class  ; 
and  it  is  with  great  satisfaction  I  can  state  that  these  are  of  undoubted 


character. 

77  White  frontignac,  or  True    While 

Constantia 

78  Red  do. 

79  Black,  or  purple  do. 

80  Blue  or  violet  do. 

81  Grizzly  do. 

82  White  muscat  of  Alexandria 

83  Black  or  red  muscat  of  Alexandria 

84  Violet  muscat  of  Alexandria 


85  White  Malaga 

86  White  muscat  of  Lunel 

87  Muscat  panache 

88  Pansemusque"e,  Boiiches  du  Rhone,!* 

89  White  muscadel,  supposed  same  as  85 

90  Red  Muscadel,  or  Malaga 

91  Augibert  noir,  Black  muscadel,    yr 

Black  raisin 

92  Muscatelle,  Lot. 


Burgundy  grapes. 

All  of  which  are  very  celebrated  for  wine,  and  form  a  greater  porportion  in  the 
vineyards  of  France  than  any  other  class  of  grapes — the  most  of  them  are  also 
pleasant  table  grapes.  The  three  varieties,  No.  95,  98,  and  100,  form  the 
vineyards  which  produce  Champagne  wine. 

93  Meunier,  Bas  Rhin,  L 

94  Black  cluster,  Bas  Rhin,  L 

95  White  morillon,  L 


98  Auvernat  rouge  clair 


100  Gray  Burgundy 

102  Pineau  franc,  Haute  Saonne,  L 

104  Bourguignon  noir,  Seine  etMartie^L 

105  Bourguignon  blanc,  HauteMarne,  L 

106  White  sauvignon,  Haute  Pyrenees,L 


Madeira  grapes. 
All  of  which  are  celebrated  for  wine. 


107  Round  violet  Madeira 

108  Violet  or  blue  Madeira,  or  Tinta 

Madeira 
\  09  Purple  do. 

110  Verdilhio 

111  Niffrinho 


112  see  108,  having  proved  synonymous 

113  Herbemont's  Madeira,   Warren  or 

Warrenton 

114  Adlum's  do. 

115  Black  do. 


German  and  Swiss  grapes. 

These  are  principally  celebrated  as  wine  grapes  ;  and  I  have  information  from 
the  highest  sources,  that  those  numbered  119,  133, 134, 137,  138, 139, 144,  and 
145,  are  considered  among  the  most  valuable  for  vineyards,  on  account  of 
their  abundant  and  regular  crops,  and  their  resisting  the  severest  winters  un- 
injured. In  addition  to  these  here  enumerated,  a  number  of  varieties  of 
grapes  are  cultivated  in  Germany  which  are  necessarily  arranged  under  other 
heads  in  this  catalogue,  including  the  principal  part  of  the  Burgundy  grapes ; 
and  I  am  assured  by  a  gentleman  who  has  a  very  extensive  vineyard  on  the 
Rhine,  that  the  grapes  numbered  1,  7,  93,  94,  95,  98, 100,  104,  and  105,  sup- 
port there  all  the  rigours  of  the  climate,  and  produce  immense  and  regular  crops. 


1 16  Blue  cartager 

117  Blue  sylvan 

118  Black  shearcat 

119  Facuri,  white, very  celebrated  for  wine 

and  abundant  crops,  L 

120  Feldlinger,  Bas  Rhin,  L 

121  Pendant  vert 

122  Copette,  productive 

123  Gentil  brun,  L 

1 24  Grand  khlefner, '?  syn.  of  100 


125  Blanc  du  Rhin 

126  L'Allemand  le  rouge 

127  L'Yyverdun  bon  vin 

128  Muller  reben,  L 

129  Olwer 

130  Red  Burger,  or  Facon  rouge 

131  Queen 

133  Petit  rauchling 

This  last  is  very  celebrated  for 
wine  and  for  abundant  crops, 


340 


CATALOGUE  OF  GRAPE  VINES. 


134  Gros  rauchling 

135  Red  cruger 

136  Red  Swiss 

137  Riessling,  clairette  de  Limoux>  L 

138  le  grand 

These  two  last  named  are  very 
celebrated  for  wine  and  for  their 
abundant  crops. 

139  Rothe  hintsche,  L 

1 40  Pendant  gris 

141  Rough  white 


142  Rough  black 

143  Shumroy 

144  White  or  gray  Tokay 

145  Blue  do. 

146  Black  do.  Tokai  d'Umgrie  noir-,  W 

147  Flame  do. 

148  Tokai  de  Lunel,  W 

149  bagnol,  W 

1 50  Rousseline  blanc 

151  Rouge  de  la  Dote 


Grapes  received  from  the  border  of  the  Rhine  in  the  most  northern  Department 
of  France,  but  whose  native  localities  are  mostly  unknown. 


161  Monstreux 

162  Montpellier 

163  Perle?  diamant 

164  Plant  gentil 

165  Rouge  espayot,  Landes 

166  St.  Antoine 

167  St.  Valentine 

168  Terret,  Htrault 


152  Amarot,  Landes 

153  Aspirant  blane,  seedless 

154  Blussard  blanc 

155  noir,  Belosar  gros 

156  Le  brun  fourca,  Bouches  du  Rhone 

157  De  Candolle 

158  Hermann 

159  Lehrmann 

160  Large  damask 

The  following  grapes  being  less  known,  and  the  most  of  them  being  in  no  other 
collection  in  our  country,  I  have  placed  them  under  distinct  divisions  as  to 
colour  and  form ;  the  name  of  the  Departments  of  France  where  each  origi- 
nated being  in  italics.  Those  marked  T  are  particularly  celebrated  for  the 
table  ;  the  others,  although  cultivated  for  wine  in  France,  are  many  of  them 
line  table  fruits  also.  Those  marked  L  are  from  the  famous  royal  collection 
of  the  garden  of  Luxembourg. 

Black,  purple,  and  red  round  grapes. 


169  Almandis,  Gironde,  L 

1 70  Alexandrie  noir,  Doubs,  L 

171  Aramon  noir,  Gard.  L 

172  Arrouya,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

173  Baclan,  Jura 

174  Balavri,  Po,  L 

175  Balsamina,  Po,  L 

176  Bordelais,  Muyenne,  L 

177  Bouteillant,  Var. 

178  Camarau  rouge,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

179  Canut  noir,  Lot,  L 

180  Chailloche,  Cliarente,  L 

181  Claverie  rouge,  Landes,  L 

182  Coda  di  volpe,  Po,  L 

183  Cornet,  Drome,  L 

184  Cortesenera,  Po,  L 

185  Courbu,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

186  Croq,  J\layenne,  L 

187  De'goutant,  Charente,  L 

188  Dolceto,  Po,  L 

189  Doucinelle  noire,  Bouches  du  Rhone 

190  Epicier,  Vienne,  L 

191  Espar,  Herault,  L 

192  Folle  noire,  Charente  Inferieure,L 

193  Francois  noir,  Jlube,  L 

194  Grenache,  Gard. 

195  Grinoli,  Po,  L 

196  Gros-noir,  Charenie,  L 

197  Grosse-serine,  Is£ret  L 

198  Gruselle,  Drome,  L 


199  Jacobin,  Vienne,  L 

200  Lambrusquat,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

201  Lardau,  Drome,  L 

202  Lignage,  Maine  et  Loire,  L 

203  Magdelene  noire,  Seine,  L 

204  Maclon,  Isere,  L 

205  Mansein  noir,  Landes,  L 

206  Marroquin  or  espagnin,  T  L 

207  Marseillais,  Vaucluse,  L 

208  Materot,  Gard. 

209  Melon,  Jura,  L 

210  Mauzac  noir,  Lot,  L 

211  Mounesten,  Var. 

212  Moustardie",  Prov. 

213  Ncgret,  Haute-  Garonne,  L 

214  Nerre  Haute  Marne,  L 

215  autre  variete" ,  HauteMarneJL 

216  Panpegat,  Gard. 

217  Pascarnoir,  Var. 

218  Peyran  noir,  T 

219  Picardan  gros,  Vaucluse,  L 

220  noir 

221  Pied  de  perdrix,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

222  Pineau  noir,  Yonne,  L 

223  Cote  (Tor,  L 

224  Piquepoule  sorbier,  Dordogne,  L 

225  noir,  Dordognc,  L 

226  Vaucluse,  L 

227  Landes,  L. 
238  Plant  droit,  Vaucluse,  L 


CATALOGUE  OF  GRAPE  VINES. 


341 


*229  Raisin  noir,  Drome,  L 

230  prune,  Gouan,  T 

231  Rive  d'alte,  Lot,  L 

232  Rochelle  noire,  or  Vigane,   Seine  et 

Marne,  L 

233  Saint  Jean  rouge,  Herault,  L 

234  -Sanmoireau,  /Seine  et  Marne,  L 

235  Sirodino,Po,  L 

236  Sparce  menue,  Vaucluse,  L 

237  Tinto,  Jlrdtche,  L 


238  Terr6  moureau  noir,  Gard.  T 

239  de  barri  noir,  Gard.  T 

240  Tibouren,  or  Tiboulen,  Var. 

241  Touzan,  Lot  et  Garonne,  L 

242  Tripier,  Jllpes  Maritimes,  L 

243  Trompe-chambrie're,    Bouches  du 

Rhone 

245  Ugne  noir,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  T 

246  Verjua 


Black,  purple, 

247  Aspirant,  He-wit,  T  L 

248  Barbera  noir,  Po,  L 

249  Bourdelas,  Jura,  L 

250  Boudales,  Hautes  Pyrennces,  L 

251  Bouteillant,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  L 

252  Brune,  Maine  et  Loire,  L 

253  Carignan,  Herault,  L 

254  Chaliane,  Drome,  L 

255  Grand    guillaume,    Bouches   du 

Rhone,  T  L 

256  Merbregie,  Dordogne,  L 

257  Merle"  d'Espagne,  Landes,  L 

258  Navarre,  Landes,  L 

259  See  No.  23. 

260  Plant  de  malin,  Cote  <f  or,  L 


and  red  oval  grapes. 

261  Perlossette,  Drome,  L 

262  Pineau  fleuri,  Cote  rf'or,  L 

263  de  Coulange,  Yonne,  L 

264  noir,  Fienne,  L 

265  Pulsare,  Haute  Saonne,  L 

266  Raisin  per  16,  Jura,  L 

267  noir  de  pagez,  Guard.  T 

268  rouge,  Drome,  L 

269  espagnol,  Landes,  L 

270  Rochelle  noire,  Seine  et  Marne,  L 

271  Servent  noir,  Herault,  L 

272  Teinturier,  Vaucluse,  L 

273  Ulliade,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  T 

274  rouge,  Herault,  T 


White,  or  yellow  oval  grapes. 


275  Aramon  blanc,  Herault,  L 

276  Bon  blanc,  Doubs,  L 

277  Bourret,  Drome,  L 

278  Boutinoux,  Drome,  L 

279  Bourgelas,  Vosques,  L 

280  Calitor  blanc,  Gard.  T 

281  Cecan,  Haute  Garonne,  L 

283  Chenein,  Fienne,L 

284  Clarette    blanche,     Bouches    du 

Rhone,  T 

285  Columbau,  Gard.  T 

286  Dure  peau,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  T 

287  Folle  blanche,  Charente  Inferieure,L 

288  Galet  blanc,  Gard.  T 

289  Gamau,  Drome,  L 

290  Gros  Orleans,  or  white  Orleans 

291  Grosse  perle,  Seine  et  Marne,  T 

292  Jacobin,  Vienne,  L 

293  Joannen  blanc,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  T 

294  Malvasie,  Pyrenees  Orientates] 


295  Olivette  blanche,    Bouches    du 

Rhone,  T 

296  Panse  commune,  Bouch.du  Rhone ,1? 

297  Pique  poule,  Lot  et  Garonne,  L 

298  Piquant-paul,  Basses  Jllpcs,  L 

299  Picardan,  Herault,  T 

300  Pied  sain,  Mayenne,  L 

301  Plant  pascjtf,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  L 

302  Plant  de  sfles,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  L 

303  Plant  vert,  Tonne,  L 

304  Raisin  blanc  de  pages,  Gard.  T 

305  des  dames,    Bouches  du 
Rhone,  T 

306  Raisin  perl<5,  Jura,  L 

307  Rajoulen,  Lot,  L 

308  Servinien,  Fonne,  L 

309  Trompe  chambrie"re,   Bouches  du 

Rhone,  L. 

310  Verdat,  Vaucluse,  L 

311  Vicane,  Charente-Inferieure,  L. 


White,  or  yellow  round  grapes. 


312  Aligote",  Cvte  d'or,  L 

313  Assadoulc  bouvier,  Gard.  L 

314  Augibert  blanc,          do.    T 

315  Blanc  doux,  Landes,  L 

316  Cammarau  blanc,  Haute  Pyrenees,L 

317  Cascaralo  blanc,  Po,  L 

318  Chopine,  Jlisne,  L 

3 1 9  Clarette  ronde,  Bouches  du  Rhone,T 

320  Claverie,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 

321  Dammery  blanc,  Yonne,  L 

322  Doucet,  Lot  et  Garonne,  L 


323  Doucinelle,  Bouches  du  Rhone,  T 

324  Fid  jaune,  Vienne,  L 

325  vert,         do.     L 

326  Forte  queue,  Deux  Sevres,  L 

327  Fourmentg,  Jlisne,  L 

328  Gouais  jaune,  Vienne,  L 

329  petit,  Jura,  L 

330  Granache  blanc,  Gard. 

331  Gouais  blanc,  Moselle,  L 

332  Guillemot  blanc,  Landes,  L. 

333  Gulard,  Haute  Garonne,  L 


342 


CATALOGUE  OP  GRAPE  VINES. 


334  Herman!  blanc,  Seine  el  Marne,  L 

335  Latrut,  Landes,  L 

336  Lourdaut,  Drome,  L 

337  Marmot,  Landee,  L 

338  Mauzac  blanc,  Lot,  L 

339  Merle  blanc,  Landes,  L 

340  Nebiolo,  JPo,  D 

341  Piquo  poule,  Haule  Garonne,  L 

342  Lot  et  Garonne,  L 

343  Plant  de  demoiselle,  B.  du  Rhone 

344  Plant  de  Languedoc,  Bouches   du 

Rhone, T 

345  Printanier,  Haute  Pyrenees,  L 


346  PrunySral,  Lot,  L 

347  Raisin  blanc,  Po,  L 

348  Rivesaltc,  Charente 

349  Rochelle  blanche,  Seine  et  JVfame,L 

350  Rougeasse,  Lot,  L 

351  Saint  Jaume,  Landes,  L 

552  Saint  rabier  blanc,  Charente,  L 

353  Semillpn,  Lot  et  Garonne,  L 

354  Servinien  cendre,  Fonne,  L 

355  Ugne  blanche,  Bouches  duRhonet  T 

356  Ugne  de  malade,  Bouches  du 

Rhone,  T 

357  Ugne  lombarde,  Vaucluse,  T  L 


Gray,  or  violet  oval  grapes. 

358  Blanquette  violette,  Pyrenees        1  361  Tres  dur,  ou  de  poche,  Prov.  T 

Orien,  L  362  Martinen,  Prov.  T 

359  Clarette rose,  Bouches  duRhone,T    363  Piquepoule  gris,  Herault,  L 

360  Damas  violet,  Herault,  T  L 

Gray,  or  violet  round  grapes. 


369  Plant  de  la  barre  rouge,  Bouches  du 

Rhone,  T 

370  Raisin  de  genes,  T 

371  Ugne  de  Marseille,  Bouches  du 

Rhone,  T 


364  Grec  rose,  Gard.  T 

365  Vaucluse 

366  Gromier  violet,  Cantal,  L 

367  Marroquin    gris,    Bouches    du 

Rhone,  L 

368  Marvoisin,  Loire,  L 

The  Departments  which  compose  the  districts  of  Burgundy,  Champagne,  and 
other  celebrated  wine  districts  of  France,  can  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
map,  and  the  names  of  the  Departments  being  attached  to  the  foregoing  list 
of  grapes,  it  will  easily  be  perceived  which  ki 


ands  are  used  for  the  wines  of 


those  respective  localities. 

American  native  grapes. 

All  the  following  are  genuine  American  species  and  varieties,  except  No.  394, 
which  is  a  native  variety  of  a  foreign  species,  and  No.  408  &  441,  deemed  dubious. 

397  Palmated  leaved  winter  grape 

398  \Vhite  scuppernong 

399  Black  scuppernong 

400  Solander's  large  purple,  seedlings 

401  Texas,  curious  foliage 

402  Texas,  diverse  leaved 

403  Winne 

404  Worthington 

405  Pell's  Illinois 

406  Clifton's  Constantia  (?  syn.  of  372) 

407  York  Madeira,  (?  synan.  of  372) 

408  Jordan's  large  blue(?  native,  Auth.) 

409  Cooper's  wine 

410  Black  round  muscadine 

411  Black  oval        do. 

412  Bailie 

413  Bachman's  red  fox 

414  Beaverdam 

415  Clarke's 

416  Coon 

417  Cunningham 

418  Denniston 

419  Early  white 

420  Early  black  summer 

421  Gale  grape 


372  Alexander 

373  Herbemont's  Arena 

374  Red  Bland 

375  See  374,  being  synonymous 

376  Carter's  favourite 

377  Catawba 

378  Columbia 

379  Elkton 

380  Elsingburgh 

381  Black  fox 

382  Red      do. 

383  White  do. 

384  Honey 

385  Isabella 

386  Long's  Arkansas 

387  Louisiana 

388  Lufborough 

389  Sweet  scented,  for  arbours 

390  Missouri 

391  Muncy,  pale  red 

392  black 

393  Norton's  Virginia  seedling 

394  Orwigsburgh 

395  Raisin  de  cote 

396  Winter  grape 


CATALOGUE  OP  GRAPE  VINES. 


343 


422  Garber's  Albino 

423  red  fox 

424  Green  scuppernong  ? 

425  Hyde's  Eli/a 

426  native  blue 

427  Henrico,  supposed  identical  with  417 

428  Hill  grape  of  the  Scioto 

429  Illinois  prolific 

430  Kellogg 

431  Kenrick's 

432  Large  blue 

433  Maryland  purple 

434  Millington's  white 

435  Missouri  white 

436  black  autumnal 

437  black  winter 

438  Monstrous  fox 

439  Nashua 

440  Nazro 

441  North  Carolina  white  1 

442  Owen's  white 


443  Pale  red  Virginian 

444  Penniman's 
4.45  Pond's  seedling 

446  Prolific  chicken  grape 

447  Scott's  grape,  seedlings 

448  Sloe 

449  large 

450  Smallwood 

451  Swatara 

452  Thompson's 

453  Troy  grape 

454  Vitis  a-stivalis 

455  Webb's  grape 

456  Weidmar's  red  fox 

457  Willis's  Fredonia 

458  large  black 

459  Windsor 

460  Woodson 

461  York  Lisbon 

462  Claret 


Foreign  Varieties, 

The  most  of  which  are  of  recent  introduction,    w  designates  white  grapes, 
and  c  coloured  grapes. 


463  Arbois,  Maine  et  Loire,  w 

464  Austrian  muscadel,  w 

465  Biron,  Lot,  c 

466  Black  Corinth,  Zante  currant,  or 

Corinthe  noir  du  Moree 

467  Black  Morocco,  of  the  English  col- 

lection* 

468  Black  Zinfardel,  of  Hungary 

469  parsley  leaved 

470  Blanc  madame,  Haute  Pyrenees,  c 

471  Chasselas  pre"cocedeKienzheim 

472  Doucinelle,  Bouchesdu  Rhone,  w 

473  Early  oval 

474  Elliot's  large  white 

475  Gouais  petit,  Jura,  w 

476  Grande  Corinthe  avec  pepins 

477  Gre"  rouge?  c 

478  Griniolo,w 

479  Gros  rouge,  c 

480  Gutadel 

481  Hansteretto 

482  Lachryma  Christi,  or  .Raisin  de 

Vesuve 

483  Lombardy 

484  Monstrous  violet 

485  Muscat  d'Espagne 

486  violet  pr^coce 
4S7  gris 


488  Navarro,  c 

489  New  red  Muscat  of  Alexandria 

490  Ouliven,  Pouches  du  Rhone,  c 

491  Perkin's  Constantia,  c 

492  Perlerose 

493  Pernan,  Cote  cPor,  c 

494  Picardan,  Heraidt,  w 

495  Piquepoule  blanc,  w 

496  Poonah 

498  Raisin  de  notre  dame,  Benches  du 

Rhone,  w 

499  Raisin  perle 

500  rouge,  Cantal,  c 

501  Red  muscadine,  may  be  same  as  68 

502  parsley  leaved 

503  sauvignon  ? 

504  Salviner,  w 

505  Sauvignon  blanc,  Jura,  different 

from  106,  w 

506  Savagnien  blanc,or.Aleunier  6/anc,w 

507  Spence's  seedling 

508  Sultana,  nearly  seedless,  w 

509  Terre  promise 
5 JO  Terre  bourre,c 

511  Verjus,  w 

512  Violet  Calabrian  ?  supposed  synon- 

ymous with  some  other 

513  Oval  white  Constantia?     do.  do. 


344 


EXPLANATION 

OF  ADDITIONAL  SYNONYMES  OF  THE  VARIOUS  VINES, 

Ascertained  since  the  respective  descriptions  were  printed. 

Black  muscat  of  Jerusalem,  is  Black  Frontignac. 

Gibraltar,  is  Red  Hamburgh. 

Burgundy,  of  English  collections,  is  Black  Cluster. 

Lisbon,          ^ 

Portugal,       f     of  the  English 

Valentia,       t         collections,       ^  are  Black  Spanish. 

Prince,          J 

Lombardy,  of  some,  according  to  Miller, 

Black  Muscadel,   )          A      ., 

Mogul  grape,        \  «e  Augibert  noir. 

Chasselas  violet,  of  the  French,  is  Black  Muscadine. 
Petit  Chasselas,         ditto  is  Cioutat. 

Early  white  grape  of  Teneriffe,  is  White  Muscadine. 
Black  Cluster,  or  Munier,  of  Miller,  >          M 

Vitis  lanata,  C.  Steph.  Praedium  Rusticum,    \   * 
Green  Chee,  is  Greek  grape. 

melting,  is  Fendant  vert. 

Imperial  Tokay,  is  Gray  Tokay. 

Le  Cour,  or  Frankindall,  of  Miller,  is  White  Musk  Chasselas. 

Malmsey  Muscadine,  )    rT7     ,.  ,       „ 

MalvoisieMusque,     \  of  English  collections,  are  White.Chasselas. 

Muscat  rouge  de  Frontignan,  is  Red  Frontignac. 

noir  de  Frontignan,    ) 

Purple  Constant**,  \    are  Black  Front,gnac. 

Red  Muscadine,  of  the  English,  is  Red  Chasselas. 

Red  Rhenish,  ditto,  is  Flame  Tokay. 

Rose  grape,  of  the  Americans,  is  Red  Bland. 

Stillward's  sweet  water,  is  White  sweet  water. 

Vitis  taurina,  of  Bartram,  is  Scuppernong  and  the  varieties  of  the 

American  Muscadine. 
Warner  grape,  is  Black  Hamburgh. 
White  Lombardy,  is  White  grape  of  Alcobaca. 
White  Raisin,  |   are  White  Hamburgh. 


ERRATA. 

PAGE.  LINE. 

30  21       Chap.  V.    should  read    Chap.  VI. 

64  21       Vougost,          ditto  Vougcot. 

f>6  38  and  in  several  other  places,  Dukammel  should  read  Duhamel. 

77  22      Pr.  Cat.  JVo.  7,  should  read,  Pr.  Cat.  No.  76. 

87        4      Mascadel,  ditto          Muscadel. 

109  24      hamburgh,      ,         ditto          Hamburgh. 

1GO  1'J      rfuvcras,  ditto          Auvcrrms. 

180  15      Georgia,  ditto          Carolina. 

182  20  &  22    liauchmttn,      ditto          Bachman. 

226  2f>      The  Sugar  Cane,     ditto         The  produce  of  the  Sugar  Cane 


INDEX. 


FRONTISPIECE— A  cluster  of  the  Isabella  grape,  the  berries  two-thirds  the 

usual  size,  and  less  closely  set  than  is  usually  the  case. 
Dedication  ... 

Preface 
Class— Order — Natural  order     - 


PAGfi 


CHAP.  I. 


Early  history  of  the  vine 

Origin  and  native  country  of  the  vine,  &c. 

Early  use  of  wines  among  the  Romans 

CHAP.  II. 

Ancient  vineyards 

CHAP.  III. 

Introduction  of  the  vine  into  France 

CHAP.  IV. 

Introduction  of  the  vine  into  Britain 

CHAP  V. 

Age  of  the  vine — Spread  of  the  vine 
Size  of  the  vine  - 

Size  of  the  bunches  and  berries 

CHAP.  VI. 

Preliminary  remarks  on  soil,  culture,  &c. 
Climate          -     • 

Soil- 

Influence  of  soil,  &c.  on  flavour 

Substrata  of  vineyards  in  France         -  * 


Exposition 


CHAP.  VII. 


CHAP.  VIII. 


CHAP.  X. 

Nomenclature  of  grapes 
Chasselas  grapes 

Cioutat 

Frontignac  and  other  Muscat  grapes 
Table  grapes  of  different  countries 
Wine  grapes 

44 


10 

12 

13 


15 


19 


22 


25 
27 

28 


30 
31 
36 
41 

42 


44 


Seasons                                                                                      ^ 
Rains                            ...                                      . 
Fogs  —  Droughts         -                                                  ... 
Frosts 
Hail,  winds,  fire  blight,  &c/                                          * 

51 

52 

54 
57 

CHAP.  IX. 

Influence  of  the  variety  —  Choice  of  varieties 
Effect  of  the  age  of  the  vine  on  the  product 

59 
64 

65 
71 
77 
79 
89 
121 


346 


INDEX. 


American  grapes          -  -  1 65 

Additional  indigenous  vines — Varieties  from  seed  213 

General  Remarks  ou  nomenclature     -  215 

American  species  of  the  vine  216 
Account  01  the  Species,  Hybrids,  and  other  varieties  of  the  vine 

of  North  America       -  ...  216 

Preliminary  remarks  on  culture  -  221 

Remarks  from  the  pen  of  Prof.  Nuttall  -      .      -  224 

Culture — Great  or  Vineyard  culture  ...  229 

Preparing  the  ground  ......  232 

Planting  vines  -  .  .  '.  _  _  .  236 

Distances  to  be  observed  in  planting  -  -  238 

Rearing  plants  for  vineyards  -  -  242 

vines  from  cuttings  and  eyes  244 

Layering  or  Provignage  -  -  249 

Rearing  vines  from  seeds         -  251 

Ingrafting  vines  ....  254 

Vineyards  on  hills  and  declivities        -  -  260 

Planting  trees,  &c.  in  vineyards — Hedges  to  protect  them  262 

Propping  and  training  -  264 

Low  training  -  -  -  266 

High  training  -  .  267 

Sautelles  or  Pleyons  268 

Pyramidal  or  conical  training  -  269 

Counter  espalier  training        -  271 

Pruning  -  272 

Proper  period  for  pruning        -  -  -  276 

Clipping  and  topping  of  the  vine  •        -  279 

Pruning  and  treatment  of  a  young  vineyard  281 
Pruning  to  restore  the  vigour  of  the  vines— Taking  off  the  bark — 

Laying  bare  the  vine  root  283 

Girdling,  or  Incisure  284 

Manuring  -  -  287 

Watering  vineyards  -  ...  292 

Tillage  or  working  of  vineyards  -  293 

Implements  of  labour  296 

Of  the  advancements  and  disbursements  to  be  made  by  the  proprietor  297 

Pay  of  the  Vigneron  298 

Winter  protection  of  vines      -  299 

Garden  culture  300 

Culture  of  the  vine  at  Thomery  302 

Painting  walls  black — Hothouse  culture  of  vines        -  310 
Difficulties  attendant  on  the  vine  culture — Natural  causes — Errors  in 
management — Political  causes — Ability  of  the  proprietor — 

Attacks  of  insects,  &c.          -  316 


Mildew 

Bleeding  of  the  vine     - 

Coulure,  or  blight  of  the  blossoms 

The  vintage 

Reputation  of  vineyards 

Duration  of  vineyards 


321 
324 
324 
325 
326 
328 
Uses  of  sweet  grapes — Preservation  of  grapes  in  a  fresh  state — 

Relative  weight  of  berries — Making  Raisins  328 

Manner  of  culture  adopted  for  the  vine  in  the  American  vineyard, 

the  property  of  Edward  H.  Bonsall,  Esq       -  331 

Catalogue  of  vines  at  present  cultivated  in  the  vineyard  of  the  author  337 

Additional  synonymes  of  vines  344 

Errata 344 


INDEX. 


347 


FOREIGN  VARIETIES  OF  THE  VINE. 


PAGE 

Jgyras  100 

Albillo  Castillan  130 

JllicanL— Raisin  $  Alicant e       146  147 

Anguleux  106 

Jlnsley*s  large  aval  black  95 

Jlntiboiilen  150 

Arsakhi,  or  Goat's  teats  163 

Asma  163 

Jlspiran,  of  Languedoc  101 

Aspirant  blanc,  seedless  108 

sans  pepins  108 

Austrian  Muscadel  117 

grape  77 

Auvernat,  or  Auvernas  121 

Gray,  or  gris  124 

noir  121 

rouge  clair  125 

White,  or  blanc  122 

Balaban  Shabash,  or  Great  Shabash  163 

Barbarous  95 

Barlantin  103  105 

Beaunier  122 

Benadu  143 

Black  JJscalon  98 

Burgundy  344 

Cape  112 

Damascus  109 

Garnet  148 

Gibraltar  344 

grape  of  Tripoli  111 

grape  from  Palestine  94 

Lisbon  109  344 

Lombardy  94 

Morocco  95 

Orleans  121 

parsley  leaved  118 

Portugal  109  344 

Prince  94  344 

Spanish  147  344 

Tokay  115 

Blanc  de  Bonnelle,  74 

verdet  145 

Blue  Cartager  157 

Tokay  137 

Bon  plant  123 

Bordeaux  purple  161 

Boucards  125 

Bourboulenque  144 

Bourdelas. — Bordclais  100 

Bourgeois  148 

Bourger. — Burger  158 

Bourguignon  blanc  125 

noir  124 

Bouteillant  132 

Brick  111   137 

Brown,  or  Chocolate  coloured          151 

Bureau  124 

Burot  122 

Cascaralo  blanc  107 


Cayan 

Cioutat.— Ciotat 

Chalosse 

Chambonat 

Chasselas,  Bar-sur~Jhibe 


PACK 

132 

77 
92 
148 
71 

blanc  71 

blanc  71 
blanc  pre"coce  de  Kien- 

zheim  77 

croquant  71 

D\Flrbois,  or  D'Jlrboyce  71 

de  Thomery  76 

ttore  71 
(lore  de  Fontainbleau      71  7'5 

dur  71 
Golden                          71  75 

gris,  or  Gray  76 
La  Blanquette,or  La  Donne  73 

Moma-  Chasselas  72 

JV/ou  ?  75 

musque  76 

panach6  92 

Parsley  leaved  77 

Petit  344 

Purple  royal  77 

Red  75 

rose  77 

Rouge  75 

royal,  or  rouge  royal  77 

Variegated  92 
Violet,— Black, — De  la 

madelene  77 

White  71 

White,  or  golden  71 

White  musk  76 

Yellow,  of  Thomery  76 

Clapiers  ?  90 

Clairelte. —  Clareto  102 

de  Limoux  1 59 

Claret                                           146  147 

Clarette  blanche  102 

Columbzu.-Columbal.-Coloinnbau  1C6 

Constantia,  Black  82 

Purple  344 

White  160 

-True  White  344 

Corinth,  Black  98 

Red  98 

White  seedless  97 

Corinthe  Wane  97 

Gros  98 

jioir  du  Morle  344 

sans  pepins  97 

violet  98 

Corinthian  vine  97 

Cornishon,  White,  or  blanc  99 

Violet  100 

Cote  rouge  134 

Croc/iw,  of  Provence  99 


348 


INflEX. 


Cucumber  grape  99 
Currant  grape  98 
Damas  124 
legros  108 
Damson  111 
Danugo  1 05 
Daune. — Daunerie  122 
DeCandolle  107 
Douceagne  131 
Doucinelle  noire  132 
Dove's  eye  92 
Early  white  grape  of  Teneriffe  110 
black  cluster  113 
Elliot's  large  white  161 
Enrageat  145 
Epicier  136 
Espagnin  105 
Esperione  89  91 
Etrange  125 
Facon  rouge  158 
Facun. — Burger. — Bourger. — Fa- 
con  blanc  158 
Faigneau  145 
Farinau  121 
Farineiix  noir  134 
Feldlinger  1 57 
Fendantvert  118 
FeuUleronde  125 
Fie  127 
Finger  grape  99 
Flame  Tokay  137 
Folle  blanche  145 
Franc-kental  89 
Franc-pineau  123 
Frankendale  89 
Frankenthaler  89 
Frappade  144 
Fromente  126  134 
Fromenteau  124  125 
Frontignac,  Alexandrian  83 
Black,  or  purple  82 
Blue,  or  violet  81 
Grizzly  83 
Red  81 
White  79 
Garnet  noir. — Game  noir  148 
Gentilrose  125 
g-m  124 
Gibraltar  90 
Golden  Galician  1 1 1 
Gouais  blanc. — Gouas  148 
noir  149 


Gourdoux 
Grand  Guillaume 
Grau  Hefner 
Gray  Burgundy 

Tokay 
Greek  grape 
Green  melting 

Chee 

Grey.—Gregoir 
Gribalet  noir 
Griniolo 


125 
96 
124 
124 
136 
110 
341 
344 
100 
121 
108 


Gris  rouge 
Griset  blanc 
Gros  blanc 

noir 

noir  d'Espagne 


125 
124 
148 
145 
147 


Rauschling. — Grand  Rausch* 

ling. — Grosser  Rauschling    159 

Guillaume  96 

Muscadet  134 

Taulier  129 

Damas  108 

Grosser  riessling  160 

Grosse  serine  124 

Gueuche  noire  149 

blanc. — Gouche  125 

Hamburgh,  Black  89 

Purple  91 

<**      Red  90 

Warner's  black  89 

White  90 

Hampton  Court  tine  89 

Hardy  blue  Windsor  91 

Hinsch.—Hintsch  158 

Hungarian  Tokay  136 

Ischia  114 

Jaen  noir  132 

Jews  95 

Jouannen  blanc. — Jouanen  131 

Kakura  Isyum  162 

Khadym  Barmak,  or  Lady's  finger    163 

Kirmisi  Misk  Isyurn,  or  Albura         163 

Kishmishi  97 

Kleine  rauschling  158 

Kleiner  riessling  159 

Kni-perle  158 

Lachryma  Christi.-Lamma  Christi  1 38 

Large  black  cluster  147 

Damask  103 

VMemand  158 

le  rouge  158 

L'Arragnan  141 

Le  Brun  fourca  129 

Cahors. — Le  Troyen. — Le  Bal- 

sac. — L'rfrdonnet  149 

Catalan  129 

C(Kur  95 
Damour. — Le  Grand  noir. — Le 

Vert  gris  149 

Gombert  151 

Languedoc.—Le  Coq  149 

Monastel. — Mounasteou  140 

Mourvegue"  128 

noir  139 

Picote"  104 

Pooumestre"  104 

Rin  brun  151 

Rousseli  141 

Sale  104 

SolL—LeGrennetin  124 

Taulier  129 

Vend  noir  1 56 

Lehrmann  J36 


INDEX. 


349 


Lisbon 

Listan  comnnm 

Liverdon  des  Voges 

Lombardy 

Louxtendre"  Pecoue" 

Lunel 


90 
134 
156 

118  137 

150 

85 


L'yverdun  bon  vin. — Liver  dun  156 

Madeira,  Adlum's  155 

Black  153 

Herbemont's  154 

Purple  154 

Round  violet  155 

Violet  152 

Madeleine.— Magdalen  1  i  3 

Madere  81 

Malaga,  White  86 

Red  87 

Black!  85 

duLotl  85 

Malvasie  139 

Malwisie  rouge  d'ltalie. — M.  rouge 

du  Po  138 

blancduPo  138 

musquee  139 
Manosquen.-Massoutel.-Meritte  121    129 

Mansard  149 

Mantuo  Castillan  142 

Marleau  149 

Maroc,  or  Gros  Maroc  95 
Maroquin.— M.  d?Espagne           95  103 

Marvoisin  135 

Massoutel  121 

Matinie  127 
Maurillon  or  Morillon 

blanc.-Morillon  blanc  122  127 

hatif.— Morillon  hatif        113 

noir.— Morillon  noir  121  123 

noir  hatif  113 

panachi  92 

petit  Morillon  hatif  113 

striped  92 

Taconni  126 

White  122 

Melier.— Melier  blanc  74  122 

Merrisie  ?  138 

Meslier  74 

Meslier  vert  145 

Meunier  126 

a  saint  noir  126 

blanc. — Meunier  a  saint 

blanc  r  127 

Miller  grape.— Miller's  Burgundy    126 

white  127 

Mogul  344 

Mollar  noir  143 

Monstrous  violet  155 

Montpellier  108 
Morillon, — see  Maurillon. 

Morocco  95 

Mornain  blanc  74 

Moruain  122 

Moscon  93 


MouiUet 

MourS.—Morieu 
Moustardie' 
Mourvede.—  Mourvtbrc 
Mourvede1  farinous 
Muscadel 

Stack 

Red 


Jtfuseaefei.  —  Muscadere 

Muscadine,  .tfm&er 
Black 

Early  White 
Malmsey 
Parsley  leaved 


148 
146 
144 

128 
128 

87 
85 
87 
86 
134 
75 
109 
75 
139 
77 
344 

.Rot/a*  71 

Striped  92 

White  75  344 

White  parsley  leaved        77 

Muscat,  Black  muscat  of  Alexandria  85 

blanc.  —  M.  blanc  de  Fron- 

tignan  79 

d'Alexandrie  violet  84 

d>  Alexandria.—  Idem  blanc  83 
depanse,  of  Provence  83 
d'Espagne  83  86 

Early  violet 
gris 

Muscat  de  Lunel  85 

negre,  of  Provence  82 

New  Muscat  of  Jerusalem  85 
noir  82 

noir  &  Alexandria  85 

noir  de  Frontignan  344 

Red  Muscat  of  Alexandria  85 
Red  Muscat  of  Jerusalem?  85 
rouge  81 

rouge  de  Frontignan  344 
r>toZe£  81 

Violet  Mus.  of  Alexandria  84 
JFTuYe  Muscat  of  Lunel      85 
Jfftite  Mw*.  of  Jerusalem  83 
Muscata  bianca  79 

Myshket  162 

Navarro  135 

Negramole.  —  Negramolle  153 

Negrier  -147 

Aret0  6/ac/fc  ctester  115 

Noir  149 

d'Espagne  146 

Noireau  146 

Noirien,  or  Noirier  121 

Mrirfo  126 

Norton's  large  oval  purple  112 


Oeil  de  Tourd 
Olivette  blanche 

noire 

Olwer.— Oliver 
Ortliebscher 
Palomino  commun 
Panse  musquee 


102 
102 
157 
158 
142 
83 


350 


INDEX. 


Pascaou  blanc  105 

Passe  longuc  musquce  83 

musquee. — Passe  musquee 

blanc  83 

Pendoulaou  103 

Pcrsillade  de  Bordeaux  78 

Petit  Rauschling  1 58 

Riessling  159 

game    •  149 

Pied  rouge  124 

Picarneau  125 

Pimbart  121 

Fineau  franc  123 

deBourgogne  121 

blanc  125 

gris  124 

noir  121 

noirin  92 

Pinet.—Pignolet.—PinsaU.— 

Pincaou  123 

Piquepoule  blanc  107 

Pisutelli  99 

Pitmaston  white  cluster  109 

Pknt  Estrani  134 

de  Bordeaux  129 

de  Languedoc  104 

de  Manosque  129 

de  Raguse  150 

de  Roi.— Plant  d1  Aries          124 

de  Saint  Gilles  142 

de  Sales  104 

de  Veneou  141 

d'oourueou. — Plant  d'Au- 

riol  140 

madame  148 

Sardou  151 

Portugal  90  146 

Port  wine  grape  147 

Pouille  124 

Precoce  noir,  oudes  trois  recoltes      114 

Probyn's  large  white  116 

Prunelas  92 

Queen  118 

Ragusa  1 50 

Raisin  Barbaroux  151 

afeuilles  d'Ache  78 

a  grappes  molles  150 

Black  88 

d'Afrique  95 

tfAlep  92 

d'Autriche  77 

deBourgogne  151 

de  Ca&o  110 

tie  Carmes  110 

de  cfoien. — /?m  de  chin        141 

de  la  Palestine  106 

de  la  Madeleine  113 

de  Lombardie  1  47 

de  Maroc  95 

de  Montpellier  a  grandes 

grappes  108 

de  poche  102 

den  trois  recoltes  114 


Raisin  de  St.  Jean.  —  St.  Jean 
de  Vesuve 
Grec 
perle 
precoce 


Turc 
White 
Ramonat 

Rauschling)  le  petit 
Ze  grand 
Red  Malmsey 

Burger 

Burgundy 

grape  of  Syracuse 

Rhenish 

Smyrna 

Swiss 
Resseau 
Rhenish 
Riesentraube 


de  Pansso 

Riessling 

le  grand 

Rischling 

Rochelle  blanche 
blonde 
noire 
verte 

Rognon  de  Coq 

Rose  Burgundy 


131 
138 
152 
103 
113 
92 
95 
88 
147 
158 
159 
138 
158 
125 
1  1  0 
344 
87 
156 
126 
137 
107 
124 
103 
159 
1  60 
159 
145 
146 
145 
145 

96  103 
125 


Rothe  Hintsche.  —  Rhein  Hintsch     158 

Pother  Burger  158 

Rothliehtner  125 

Roudeillat  103 

Rouge  de  Bourgognc  125 

Rough  black  117 

Roumain  145 

Roussillon  146 

St.  Peter's,  White  93 

Black  94 

West's  94 

St.  Pierre  blanc  93 

St.  Valentine.  —  Saint  Valentin  107 

Salisbury  violet  89 

Saumorille  148 

Saure  144 
Saumgnon  blanc.  —  Suavignon.  — 

Saumgnen.  —  Sermgncn  127 

vert  145 

Savagnien  blanc  127 

noir  126 

Shabash  162 

Shiralsyum  162 

Spart  143 

Striped  Aleppo  92 

Sucrin  127 

Sweet  water,  Black  79 

Early.  —  August  75 

Stillward's  344 

White  75 

Swiss  92 


INDEX. 


351 


Syrian. — Syr-ic 
Tanagos 
Tardaria  grape 
Tcinturier. —  Teinturin 
Terre  promise. —  Terra  promessa 
Terre"  bourre 
Terrgullmek 
The  Dyer 

Thrice-bearing  vine 
Tibouren. — Tiboulen 
Tinta 
Tinteau 
Tintilla 
Tokai.—  Tokai  blanc.—  T.  gris  de 

Hongrie 

Ueu. —  Tokai,  Haute  Pyre- 
nees 

Trts  dur,  ou  de  Poche 
Tresscau. —  Trousseau  du  Jura 
True  Burgundy 
Turner's  early  black 
Ugne  de  Marseille 
Uni  blanc 

rouge 

noir. —  Uni  negre 
Uva  passa  bianca 
Verdin  blanc 
Verdilhio.—  Verdelho 


95 
164 

77 
146 
108 
135 
162 
146 
114 
150 
153 
146 
142 

136 

137 
102 
124 
121 

91 
107 

127  133  145 
133 
133 

97 
143 
152 


Verjus. —  While  Vcrjus  100 

Verdal.— Verdaou  101 

Verreau  149 

Vicane. —  Vicamc  159 

Vigane  145 

Vigne  lasciniee  77 

Violet  Calabrian  161 

Vitis  vinifera  9 

insana. —  V.  triferct  114 

prcEcox,  of  Columella  113 

Walker's  large  white  1 17 

Warrenton. —  Warren  1 54 

Weisser  Burger  153 

Weiss  kloefner  122 

klefeln  blanc  122 

gris  124 

White  Burgundy  125 

girkin     '  99 

grape  of  Alcobaca  lit 

Kishmish  97 

Lombardy  344 

Malmsey  138 

Mornain  74 

seedless  Aspirant  108 

Tokay  136 

Worksop  Manor  grape  109 

Yellow  stoneless  97 


AMERICAN  VARIETIES  OF  VINES. 


Additional  seminal  species  and 

varieties                                  213  214 

Alexander                           l'73  216  219 

Arena,  of  Herbemont  189 

Bailie  206 

Beaverdam  203 
Bland,  Red. — Eland's  pale  red. — 

Bland s    Virginia. Bland's 

Madeira.— Bland  s fox         177  219 

220  224 

Blue  Elsingburg  176 
Buck  200 
Bull.— Bullet  170  171  218 
Bullace.—Bullus  170 
Bunch.-Blue  grapc.-Littlc  do.  199  217 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  173  174 
Carolina  177  197 
Carter's  favourite  190 
Catawba. — Catawba  Tokay  175 
Chicken  grape  194 
Clarke's  207 
Clifton's  Constantia  174 
Columbia  179 
Columbian  200 
Cooper's  wine  190 
Cunningham  191 
Deninger's  200 
Denniston  191 
Early  black  summer  212 
Elkton  185 
Elsingburg. — Elscnburgh. — El- 
se nboro  ugh  176 


English  grape. — Red  English         177 

Fox,  Black  180 

Bachman's  red  182 

Purple  180 

Red  182 

White  181 

Frost  grape. — Small  frost  194 

Gale  207 

Garber's  Albino  ]  95 

red  fox  196 

GibVs  ]  65 

Griswold's  seedling  205 

Henrico  J91 

Herbemont's  Arena  189 

Hickman  ] 67 

Honey  196 

Hyde's  native  black  192 

Eliza  193 

Isabella  165 

Jersey. — Guernsey  210 

Jordan's  large  blue. — Jordan* s  blue  189 

Kellogg  212 

Kcnrick's  native  197 

Large  blue  seedling  from  White 

Malaga  190 

Long's  Arkansas  1 84 

Louisiana  205 

Lufborough  ]  85 

Maryland  purple  205 

Mazzei  177 

Millington's  white  192 

Missouri. — Missouri  seedling  184 


352 


INDEX. 


Morris'  seedling  Malaga 

190 

Solander's  large  purple 

192 

Muncy,  pale  red 

175  180 

Spring  Mill  Constantia 

173 

Black 

186 

Summer  grape 

199 

Muscadine 

170  171 

Susquehanna 

200 

American 

167 

Swatara 

192 

American  black 

171 

Sweet  scented.-  Male  sweei  scented 

193 

Black  oval 

172 

Tasker's  grape 

173 

Great  black 

210 

Tennessee  Island  grape 

172 

Purple 

171 

Texas  (two  varieties) 

183 

Wild 

171 

Tokay 

175 

Nashua 

208 

Troy  grape 

202 

Nazro 

202 

Vitis  aestivalis 

199 

North  Carolina  white 

197 

JBlandi.  —  V.  Blanda 

177 

Norton's  Virginia  seedling 

186 

cordifolia 

194 

Orwigsburgh 

198 

incisa 

194 

Owen's  white 

209 

intermedia 

199 

Pale  red  Virginian 

211 

labrusca      173  181  182   185 

186 

Pell's  Illinois 

185 

188  197 

200 

Perfume 

211 

odoratissima 

193 

Pond's  seedling 

207 

riparia 

193 

Powel.  —  Powal 

177 

rotundifolia       167  170  171 

172 

Prolific  Chicken  grape 

212 

serotina                              194 

220 

Purple  Hamburgh 

202 

sylvestris.  Tel  occidentalis 

199 

Rackoon.  —  Raccoon 

179  220 

217 

220 

Raisin  de  Cote 

176 

taurina              160  218  220 

344 

Red  Muncy 

175 

vulpina                              180 

194 

Roanoke 

167 

Webb's  grape 

211 

Rose  grape 

344 

Wild  green  muscadine 

170 

Scott's 

206 

Willis'  Fredonia 

210 

Schuylkill  muscadel 

173 

large  black 

210 

Scuppernong 

167 

Windsor 

208 

Black 

170 

Winne 

200 

Green 

170 

Winter  grape 

194 

Purple 

170 

Wood  son 

191 

Red 

170  177 

Worthington 

179 

White 

167 

York  Claret 

188 

Sloe 

172 

Lisbon 

188 

Smallwood 

207 

Madeira 

187 

Smart's  Elsingborough 

176 

ABBREVIATIONS  OF  REFERENCES. 

Pn  Cat. — Prince's  Catalogue,  25th  edition.  In  all  subsequent 
editions  the  leading  titles  in  this  work  will  be  adopted. 

Clayt. — Clayton  Flora  Virginica. 

Donn.  Cat. — Bonn  Hortus  Cantabrigiensis. 

Duh. — Duhamel  Dumonceau,  Traite  des  Arbres  fruitiers,  nou- 
velle  edition,  1825. 

Garid. — Garidel. 

Goufe.—M.  Gouffe  de  la  Cour. 

Hooker  Pom.  Lond. — Hooker  Pomona  Londinensis. 

Linn. — Linnaeus  Systema  vegetabilium. 

Langley  Pom. — Langley's  Pomona. 

Muhl. — Muhlenburg  Catalogue. 

Pluck,  aim. — Pluckenett  Almagestum  Botanicum. 

Trans.  Lond*  Hort.  Soc. — Transactions  of  the  London  Horticul- 
ral  Society. 


353 


PRINCE'S  TREATISE  ON  THE  VINE. 

The  second  part  of  this  work  is  now  in  preparation  for  the  press,  and  will  be 
published  as  soon  as  a  sufficient  number  of  subscribers  is  obtained.  The  sub- 
ject matter  which  it  will  embrace  is 

THE  PARTICULAR  HISTORY  OF  THE  VINE; 

Comprising  a  Topographical  Account  of  all  the  known  Vineyards  throughout 
the  World,  and  including  those,  of  the  United  States  ;  with  the  modes  of  cul- 
ture, and  the  varieties  of  grapes  peculiar  to  each :  whence  correct  conclusions 
may  be  drawn,  sailed  to  all  the  various  climates  and  soils  of  this  country. 
To  this  will  be  added,  an  ample  detail  of  the  various  modes  of  making  Wines, 
with  every  particular  necessary  to  render  any  one  a  complete  Vigneron. 

This  work  will  comprise  all  the  important  information  contained  in  the  new 
edition  of  Duhamel,  published  in  1825  •  also  that  contained  in  the  Nouveau 
Cours  Complet  d\4griculture,  edited  by  Members  of  the  Royal  Institute  of  France ; 
together  with  such  additional  information  as  is  found  in  the  works  of  .Rozier, 
Chaptal,  Julien,  McCulloch,  Forsyth,  Speedily,  Berneaud,  and  other  authors  of 
celebrity.  It  will  form  an  octavo  volume  of  about  300  pages,  and  the  price  will 
be  $1.50.  A  limited  number  of  copies  will  be  published,  and  those  who  remit 
the  amount  of  subscription  in  advance  will  have  the  preference. 

In  addition  to  the  other  matter  contained  in  this  volume,  information  will  be 
quoted  from  the  writings  of  most  of  the  following  gentlemen,  from  a  majority 
of  whom  letters  have  been  received  oil  the  subject,  and  in  relation  to  the  others 
named,  reference  will  be  made  to  their  vineyards  already  established,  the  suc- 
cess of  which  will  be  detailed,  as  well  as  the  varieties  cultivated  in  each. 


Mrs.  Mary  Griffith. 

J.  M.  H.  Taylor. 

Prof.  Bosc,  late  Administrator  of  the 
Royal  Garden  of  the  Luxembourg. 

Chey.  Soulange  Bodin,  President  of  the 
Linnzean  and  Horticultural  Societies 
of  Paris. 

Robert  Boiling,  Junr.  Esq.  whose  com- 
piled "  Sketch  of  Vine  culture,"  has 
been  politely  presented  to  the  au- 
thor. 

Hon.  Jonathan  Hunnewell. 

Gen.  Thomas  McCall,  who  has  present- 
ed me  with  a  detailed  manuscript  of 
his  experiments  and  success  in  mak- 
ing wines,  and  also  with  some  speci- 
mens of  the  p'roduce. 

Nicholas  Herbemont,  Esq.,  from  whose 
vineyard  I  have  also  received  speci- 
mens of  some  choice  wines. 

Dr.  J.  C.  S.  Monkur,  Cor.  Sec.  of  the 
Maryland  Society  for  promoting  the 


Vine  culture. 
Gen.  Dearborn,  President  of 

Horticultural  Society. 
Dr.  D.  N.  Norton. 
Thomas  S.Pleasants,  Esq. 
Robert  Manning,  Esq. 
Jacob  B.  Garber,  Esq. 
Christian  Bachman,  Esq. 
Thomas  Eichelberger  Esq. 
Martin  Crull,  Esq. 
Charles  Nea,  Esq. 
Christian  I,  Hutter,  Esq. 


Mass. 


Col.  George  Gibbs. 

Edward  Stabler,  Jan.  Esq.,  from  whose 

vineyardjjsome  specimens  of  excellent 

wine  have  been  received. 
Robert  W.  Withers,  Esq. 
Abraham  Morrison,  Esq. 
J.  Ld  Ray  de  Chaumont,  Esq. 
William  Kenrick,  Esq. 
James  J.  Beatty,  Esq. 
Messrs.  Beatty  &  Looser. 
John  Willis,  Esq. 
Isaac  Denniston,  Esq. 
Dr.  Adrian  Vandeveer. 
Nathan  Bridge,  Esq, 
Capt.  Fay. 
J.  O'Fallon,  Esq. 
L.  Gex,  Esq. 
George  Small,  Esq. 
Richard  Hill  Morris,  Esq. 
Col.  Clandinen. 

Joseph  W.  Torrey,  Esq.  of  Michigan. 
W.  S.  Gibbes,  Esq. 
E.  Smallwood,  Esq. 
James  Falls,  Esq. 
S.  W.  Pomeroy,  Esq. 
W.  Owens,  Esq. 
James  Williams,  Esq. 
A.  B.  Spooner,  Esq. 
S.  Boyden,  Esq. 
I.  Cable,  Esq. 
M.  H.  Tucker,  Esq. 
G.  I.  F.  Clarke,  Esq. 
Samuel  Downer,  Esq. 
William  Ellison,  Esq. 
45 


354 


J.  Field,  Esq, 

William  Blackledge,  Esq. 

S.  Maverick,  Esq. 

H.  Bry,  Esq. 

M.  Amoureux,  Esq. 

Joshua  Lindley,  Esq. 

N.  Chapy,  Esq.,  of  Cuba. 

Robert  B.  Currey,  Esq. 

George  Wilson,  Esq. 

Dr.  Spengler. 

Messrs.  Groll  &  Shelby. 

Jessup  &  Co, 


Mr.  Metz. 

—  Gish. 

—  Miller. 

—  Becker. 

—  Barnetz. 
-  Upp. 

—  Hinkel. 

—  Sulsbach. 

—  Forembach. 

—  Wildie. 

—  Francis  Linck. 
And  a  number  of  others. 


A^LSO  *OW  IN  PRESS, 

"  THE  POMOLOGICAL  MANUAL  ;" 

Comprising  descriptions  in  detail  of  the  various  Garden  Fruits,  viz.  Apples, 
Pears,  Peaches,  Plums,  Cherries,  Apricots,  Nectarines,  Almonds,  Walnuts, 
Chesnuts,  Mulberries,  Quinces,  Filberts,  Gooseberries,  Raspberries,  Strawber- 
ries, &c.  &c.  The  number  of  varieties  therein  described  will  be  very  great,  and 
will  embrace  all  those  comprised  in  the  ne'w  edition  of  Duhamel,  a  work  for 
which  the  first  cost  at  Paris  is  over  $400  .  an(]  a}SO)  the  most  important  of  those 
contained  in  the  Pomological  Magazine  and  other  works  of  the  highest  note, — 
the  objectjjeing  to  concentrate  at  a  cheap  rate  all  the  pomological  information 
necessary  and  requisite  towards  making  a  judicious  selection  from  the  great 
variety  of  Fruits,  of  such  kinds  as  are  best  calculated  to  suit  the  wishes  and 
purposes  of  cultivators. 

This  work  will  be  published  in  two  parts  of  about  200  octavo  pages,  each  part 
of  which  will  be  complete  in  itself,  and  persons  can  subscribe  for  one  or  both  as 
they  think  proper.  The  terms  will  be  $1  for  each  part,  which  can  be  remitted 
in  advance.  The  first  part  will  be  ready  for  delivery  in  October. 

The  most  convenient  and  least  expensive  mode  by  which  persons  in  the  inte- 
rior can  receive  these  works,  is  by  ascertaining  from  their  local  bookseller,  the 
address  of  the  house  they  deal  with  in  New- York,  on  transmitting  which  to  the 
author,  the  books  desired  can  be  deposited  with  them  to  be  forwarded. 

ALSO,  WAS  RECENTLY  PUBLISHED, 

A  SHORT  TREATISE  ON  HORTICULTURE, 

BY  WM.  PRINCE. 

Pp.  206, — embracing  descriptions  of  about  one  thousand  species  and  varieties 
ot  Fruit  and  Ornamental  Trees  and  Shrubs,  Bulbous  Flowers,  Green-house 
Trees  and  Plants,  &c.  Price  75  cents.  Some  copies  of  this  Treatise  have  been 
made  up  with  stitched  covers,  so  as  to  be  transported  by  mail,  and  the  postage 
thereon  is  only  from  12  to  20  cents,  according  to  the  distance ;  and  some  copies 
of  the  Treatise  on  the  Vine  are  made  up  in  the  same  manner. 

Any  person  remitting  the  cost  of  five  copies  of  any  of  the  above  works,  shall 
receive  a  sixth  gratis. 

The  following  distinct  Catalogues  relative  to  the  different  departments  of  the 
establishment  may  be  obtained  of  the  different  agents,  or  by  direct  application 
to  the  proprietor,  and  are  distributed  gratis  : 

No.  1.  Fruit  and  Hardy  Ornamental  Trees,  Shrubs,  and  Plants,  pp.  86. 

No.  2.  Bulbous  and  Tuberous  rooted  Plants,  pp.  24. 

No.  3.  Green-house  Trees,  Shrubs,  and  Plants,  pp.  44. 

No.  4.  American  Indigenous  Trees,  Shrubs,  and  Plants,  pp.  47. 

These  Catalogues  can  be  transmitted  by  mail,  at  a  postage  of  \\  to  2£  cents 
per  sheet,  accordingly  the  distance. 


355 


The  following  information  may  be  acceptable. 

The  five  principal  Horticultural  and  Agricultural  papers  published  in  our  coun- 
try are  the  following  : 

American  Farmer,  published  weekly,  edited  by  Gideon  B.  Smith,  Esq.  Balti- 
more. A  change  has  recently  taken  place  in  the  editorial  department  of  this 
paper,  and  Gideon  B.  Smith,  Esq.  is  at  the  head  of  this  very  useful  and  widely 
circulating  periodical.  Mr.  S.  being  well  known  as  a  writer  of  fine  talents 
and  great  application,  there  cannot  fail  to  be  a  manifest  improvement  in  this 
publication,  as  the  numerous  avocations  of  the  former  editor  did  not  permit 
him  to  devote  an  equal  degree  of  attention  thereto.  Mr.  Smith  has  particu- 
larly distinguished  himself  by  his  very  intelligent  and  scientific  communica- 
tions in  relation  to  the  Silk  culture,  and  various  other  subjects,  and  has  thereby 
connected  himself  with  the  great  interests  and  improvements  of  our  coun- 
try. It  may  therefore  be  justly  said,  that  he  assumes  his  present  station  with 
an  enviable  title  to  public  respect  and  patronage.  We  understand  with  satis- 
faction that  he  proposes  to  establish  at  Baltimore,  an  Agricultural  Repository 
of  the  most  extensive  kind. 

New-England  Farmer,  published  weekly,  edited  by  Thomas  G.  Fessenden,  Esq. 
seconded  by  J.  B^Russell,  Esq.  the  proprietor,  Boston ;  and  supported  by  the 
writings  of  many  of  the  first  agriculturists  and  horticulturists  of  our  country, 
among  which  are  some  judicious  writers,  who  are  investigating  the  characters 
of  our  native  fruits. 

New- York  Farmer,  published  monthly,  edited  by  S.  Fleet,  Esq.  New- York, 
Southern  Agriculturist,  do.      monthly,  edited  by  J.  D.  Legare,  Esq.  Charleston, 
Western  Tiller,  edited  by  I.  P.  Foote,  Esq.  Cincinnati. 

Mr.  John  B.  Russell  has  established  at  Boston,  in  connexion  with  his  other 
business,  a  very  extensive  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Repository,  for  the  sale 
of  every  variety  of  Garden  and  Field  Seeds,  Trees,  Bulbous  Flower  Roots,  &c. 
of  which  he  has  published  a  catalogue.  His  seed  establishment,  connected  as  it 
is  with  various  branches  devoted  to  similar  objects,  among  which  is  a  great  Re- 
pository for  implements,  &c.  and  the  well-conducted  paper  referred  to,  with  the 
Horticultural  Hall  also  in  the  same  building,  may  be  considered  in  its  extent  and 
usefulness  as  second  only  to  that  of  Messrs.  Thorburns  in  New-York,  and  forms 
in  itself  a  central  depot,  most  conveniently  situated  for  the  dissemination  of 
articles  throughout  the  eastern  section  of  our  Union  and  the  British  Provinces. 

Adjoining  the  above  establishment,  is  the  very  large  Repository  for  Agricultu- 
ral implements  of  every  description,  established  and  conducted  by  J.R.  Newell, 
Esq.  and  which,  from  the  numerous  specimens  of  valuable  articles  therein  con- 
centrated, presents  a  similarity  to  the  Patent  Office  at  Washington. 


TO 


VSE 


n^fefc£!!g* 

d. 

'ate  recall 


ir-ttttssSSr**. 

icctt^imtnedh 


U.  C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


* 

«    • 


